2026 Spring Football Roster
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Jersey Number 16
Malachi Nelson
- Position:
- Quarterback
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 193
- Class:
- Redshirt Junior
- Hometown:
- Los Alamitos, Calif.
- High School:
- Los Alamitos
- Prev School:
- USC/Boise State/UTEP
Career Overview: Former No. 1 recruit in the country ... Transferred to Syracuse in January, 2026 after previous stops at USC, Boise State and UTEP ... Has appeared in 10 collegiate games (six starts), completing 117-of-210 passes for 1,291 yards and eight touchdowns in his career heading into the 2026 season ... Has also ran 76 times for 12 yards.
Redshirt Sophomore Year (2024 at UTEP): Appeared in six games, completing 104-of-190 passes for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns ... Made his first collegiate start at Utah State (8/30), throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown on 22-of-34 passing. Also ran seven times for two yards ... Threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns against UT Martin (9/6) ... Completed 24-of-36 passes for 209 yards at Texas (9/13) ... Set a career-high with 404 yards passing and threw for three touchdowns vs. Louisiana Monroe (9/20) ... Threw for 73 yards against Louisiana Tech (9/27), also rushing for a career-high 19 yards.Â
Redshirt Freshman Year (2024 at Boise State): Saw action in three games ... Completed 12-of-17 passes for 128 yards and ran twice ... Connected on 5-of-8 passes for 66 yards against Portland State (9/21) ... Completed 5-of-7 passes for 47 yards against Utah State (10/5) ... Went 2-for-2 passing for 15 yards against San Diego State (11/1).
Redshirt Year (2023 at USC): Appeared in one game ... Made his collegiate debut against San Jose State, completing 1-of-3 passes.Â
High School: Unanimous five star recruit ... No. 1 recruit in the nation per ESPN ... No. 11 player overall in the class of 2023 according to the On3 Composite Rankings ... Two-time California Gatorade Player of the Year ... 2023 Under Armour All-American and Polynesian Bowl All-Star ... Completed 67-percent of his passes for 2,898 yards, 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions as a senior ... 2022 Elite 11 Finalist ... Before the season, Nelson was named to the 2022 Preseason All-CIF Division I Team, 2022 MaxPreps California Preseason All-State First Team and the 2022 MaxPreps All-America Second Team … As a junior on varsity, he was named the 2021 Gatorade California Player of the Year … Went 170-for-275 (.618) for 2,690 yards and 39 TDs with 8 INTs … Rushed for 192 yards on 34 carries (5.6 avg.) with 2 TDs while also catching 1 pass for 19 yards … Named the 2021 Long Beach Press-Telegram Player of the Year and to the 2021 All-CIF Southern Section Division I Team … Additionally, he made the 2021 MaxPreps California All-State First Team, the 2021 MaxPreps Junior All-America Second Team, the 2021 MaxPreps Preseason California All-State First Team and the 2021 MaxPreps Preseason All-American Second Team … As a sophomore on varsity in an abbreviated six-game season, he went 85-for-115 (.739) for 1,513 yards and 23 TDs with 4 INTs … Rushed for 49 yards on 17 carries (2.9 avg.) with 1 TD … Was named to the MaxPreps California All-State First Team … Set the Los Alamitos school record for touchdown passes in a game with seven as a sophomore – the third most in Orange County history … Was selected to the 2020 MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-America Second Team … As a freshman on varsity, he went 64-for-148 (.432) for 883 yards and 8 TDs with 5 INTs … Rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries (5.7 avg.) … Named to the 4 Vert 7v7 Passing League Hall of Fame in 2019.
Redshirt Sophomore Year (2024 at UTEP): Appeared in six games, completing 104-of-190 passes for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns ... Made his first collegiate start at Utah State (8/30), throwing for 178 yards and a touchdown on 22-of-34 passing. Also ran seven times for two yards ... Threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns against UT Martin (9/6) ... Completed 24-of-36 passes for 209 yards at Texas (9/13) ... Set a career-high with 404 yards passing and threw for three touchdowns vs. Louisiana Monroe (9/20) ... Threw for 73 yards against Louisiana Tech (9/27), also rushing for a career-high 19 yards.Â
Redshirt Freshman Year (2024 at Boise State): Saw action in three games ... Completed 12-of-17 passes for 128 yards and ran twice ... Connected on 5-of-8 passes for 66 yards against Portland State (9/21) ... Completed 5-of-7 passes for 47 yards against Utah State (10/5) ... Went 2-for-2 passing for 15 yards against San Diego State (11/1).
Redshirt Year (2023 at USC): Appeared in one game ... Made his collegiate debut against San Jose State, completing 1-of-3 passes.Â
High School: Unanimous five star recruit ... No. 1 recruit in the nation per ESPN ... No. 11 player overall in the class of 2023 according to the On3 Composite Rankings ... Two-time California Gatorade Player of the Year ... 2023 Under Armour All-American and Polynesian Bowl All-Star ... Completed 67-percent of his passes for 2,898 yards, 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions as a senior ... 2022 Elite 11 Finalist ... Before the season, Nelson was named to the 2022 Preseason All-CIF Division I Team, 2022 MaxPreps California Preseason All-State First Team and the 2022 MaxPreps All-America Second Team … As a junior on varsity, he was named the 2021 Gatorade California Player of the Year … Went 170-for-275 (.618) for 2,690 yards and 39 TDs with 8 INTs … Rushed for 192 yards on 34 carries (5.6 avg.) with 2 TDs while also catching 1 pass for 19 yards … Named the 2021 Long Beach Press-Telegram Player of the Year and to the 2021 All-CIF Southern Section Division I Team … Additionally, he made the 2021 MaxPreps California All-State First Team, the 2021 MaxPreps Junior All-America Second Team, the 2021 MaxPreps Preseason California All-State First Team and the 2021 MaxPreps Preseason All-American Second Team … As a sophomore on varsity in an abbreviated six-game season, he went 85-for-115 (.739) for 1,513 yards and 23 TDs with 4 INTs … Rushed for 49 yards on 17 carries (2.9 avg.) with 1 TD … Was named to the MaxPreps California All-State First Team … Set the Los Alamitos school record for touchdown passes in a game with seven as a sophomore – the third most in Orange County history … Was selected to the 2020 MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-America Second Team … As a freshman on varsity, he went 64-for-148 (.432) for 883 yards and 8 TDs with 5 INTs … Rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries (5.7 avg.) … Named to the 4 Vert 7v7 Passing League Hall of Fame in 2019.
Calvin Russell Press Conference | Spring Practice 2
Sunday, March 22
OC Jeff Nixon Press Conference | Spring Practice 2
Sunday, March 22
Steve Angeli Press Conference | Spring Practice 2
Sunday, March 22
Fran Brown Press Conference | Spring Ball Day 1
Saturday, March 21
