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USC Trojans

Lincoln Riley flips five-star QB Malachi Nelson to USC

Five-star recruit Malachi Nelson, who had previously signed with Riley at Oklahoma, has flipped his commitment from the Sooners to the Trojans

By Anthony Farris OutKick
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Well, that didn’t take long. Lincoln Riley, who’s been in Southern California for all of three days, already has his quarterback. Five-star recruit Malachi Nelson, who had previously signed with Riley at Oklahoma, has flipped his commitment from the Sooners to the Trojans. Nelson is rated by 247Sports as the No. 5 overall recruit in the class of 2023.

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FILE - Then Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells to his team before a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Norman, Okla.

FILE - Then Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells to his team before a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)

Nelson, who’s listed at 6’3, 180, should be familiar with USC. He plays for Los Alamitos High School in California and had previously been recruited to SC by then-head coach Clay Helton. Once Riley was announced as head coach, it took Nelson less than 24 hours to pledge his allegiance to the Trojans.

Airplanes fly over Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before an NCAA college football game between San Jose State and Southern California Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Airplanes fly over Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before an NCAA college football game between San Jose State and Southern California Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) (AP)

"Yeah, this feels right," Nelson tweeted. Along with a picture of himself in a Trojans uniform and the words "Staying Home" plastered atop.

As a junior this fall, Nelson passed for 39 touchdowns and nearly 2,700 yards. Once word spread on Sunday that Riley was leaving Norman for So Cal, he decommitted from Oklahoma, then announced his intentions stay home on Tuesday evening.

Earlier this fall 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks provided a glowing scouting report of Nelson:

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TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 09:  A USC Trojans helmet on the field before the college football game between the USC Trojans and the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 9, 2019 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 09:  A USC Trojans helmet on the field before the college football game between the USC Trojans and the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 9, 2019 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"Tall, lean, and long-armed with slender natural build but frame to add some mass. Fluid mover in general, including arm motion and lower-body mechanics. Range of motion in movement patterns fosters excellent off-platform passing ability and general playmaking acumen. Alters arm angles and delivers with accuracy. Vertical arm strength, intermediate velocity, and touch to all fields speak to elite arm talent. Perhaps the most natural thrower in an excellent 2023 QB group."

Riley landed his first five-star less than a week after moving to Los Angeles. Once he has a chance to unpack his bags, he’ll likely find a couple of other top prospects to join him.