Scouting UTEP QB Malachi Nelson
Malachi Nelson will make his 5th career start at quarterback for the Miners on Saturday night at the Sun Bowl. Versus ULM last week, Nelson completed 22 of 46 passes for 404 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, earning an 83.9 PFF grade for the performance.
Career Recap
Malachi Nelson was a consensus 5-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, with ESPN ranking Nelson as the #1 recruit in the nation. After redshirting as a freshman at USC and sitting behind Miller Moss on the depth chart, Nelson made the bold decision to leave Lincoln Riley and transfer to Boise State. The Broncos had high hopes entering the 2024 season, mostly due to superstar halfback Ashton Jeanty, but also the addition of Nelson to the roster. In a surprising move, the Broncos elected to start Maddux Madsen at quarterback, raising fair concerns about the legitimacy of the former five-star. Nelson served as the backup quarterback on Boise’s college football playoff team, and decided to enter the portal once again. This time, Nelson was lured by Scotty Walden to come down to El Paso to help revive a hungry UTEP program.
2025 Statistics
4 GP, 80/141 (57%) for 1,060 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs, and 29 rushing yards.
For his efforts, Nelson has earned a 64.3 PFF grade through 168 snaps this season.
Let’s take a deeper dive into his numbers.
Passing Numbers by Level
At LOS or Behind | 14/16 (88%) for 100 yards, 1 TD & 0 INTs
0-9 Yards Downfield | 46/64 (72%) for 375 yards, 2 TDs & 1 INT
10-19 Yards Downfield | 13/32 (41%) for 350 yards, 1 TD & 3 INTs
20+ Yards Downfield | 7/21 (33%) for 235 yards, 4 TDs & 1 INT
Despite only completing 33% of his deep ball passes, Nelson’s throws 20+ yards down the field earned him a 74.9 passing grade, including 6 big time throws.
Passing Pressure
Kept Clean | 70/114 (61%) for 914 yards, 8 TDs & 2 INTs
Under Pressure | 10/27 (37%) for 146 yards, 0 TDs & 3 INTs
Not Blitzed | 57/97 (59%) for 817 yards, 6 TDs & 4 INTs
When Blitzed | 23/44 (52%) for 243 yards, 2 TDs & 1 INT
As an observant BTB poster mentioned after the ULM game, the way to beat UTEP is to pressure Nelson. Under duress, the gunslinger’s completion percentage drops an alarming 24 percentage points and a 32.6 passing grade.
Nelson’s Top Targets
Ranking 16th in the nation in passing yards, Malachi Nelson has had plenty of opportunities to spread the ball to a multitude of playmakers on offense. The leader in the clubhouse is 5’10 slot weapon Kenny Odom, one of Walden’s transfers from Austin Peay. Odom has recorded 18 receptions for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns in the three games he has played this season. Following Odom is Division II transfer Trevon Tate, who also primarily plays in the slot and has contributed 201 receiving yards and one score. UTEP has 3 more receivers who are already over 100 yards in 2025 that will challenge the Bulldogs’ secondary on the perimeter.
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