Class of 2023 five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson decommitted from Oklahoma on Sunday night following coach Lincoln Riley's departure from Norman to become USC's next head coach.
Gods Plan… pic.twitter.com/KyYllmP0f7
— ✨Malachi Nelson✨ (@MalachiNelson9) November 29, 2021
BREAKING: Five-Star QB Malachi Nelson has Decommitted from Oklahoma The 6’3 180 QB from Los Alamitos, CA is ranked as the #2 Player in the 2023 ClassMore Here (FREE): https://t.co/njq4R76EPM pic.twitter.com/cVqXWWwejB
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 29, 2021
Nelson, from Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos California is the No. 1 player in his state and the No. 2 player and quarterback nationally for the 2023 cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Before committing to OU on July 18 he'd obtained offers from Alabama, Auburn, Arizona and Arizona State.
During his 11-game junior season, Nelson completed 170 of 275 attempts for 2,690 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also ran for 192 yards and two additional scores while leading the Griffins to a 9-2 record.
Before Nelson's announcement, OU boasted the nation's No. 1 ranked 2023 recruiting class, which dipped to No. 3 on Sunday after the loss of five-star receiver Brandon Inniss and four-star running back Treyaun Webb. That ranking will likely plummet further in days to come.
With Nelson being from California, it's fair to wonder if he might decide to stay home for college by committing to the Trojans and linking up with Riley. The Athletic's Ari Wasserman reported Sunday night that Riley has already reached out to Nelson on USC's behalf.
