Malachi Nelson QB Syracuse |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #7 PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.55 seconds (94%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.7 DOB: 12/07/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #7 | |
| PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.55 seconds (94%*) | |
| Age: 22.7 DOB: 12/07/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: |
75.9 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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87% |
| Short Passing: |
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57% |
| Medium Passing: |
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46% |
| Long Passing: |
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76% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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49% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#302
Position rank:
#27 (QB)
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| College Games: 10 College Snaps: 391 | ||
ESPN RATING: 93/100
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247 RATING: 99/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kellen Mond - Texas A&M |
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65% |
| Emory Jones - Cincinnati |
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58% |
| McKenzie Milton - Florida State |
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57% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Malachi Nelson burst onto the national scene as the consensus No. 1 recruit in America, earning unanimous five-star status and back-to-back Gatorade California Player of the Year honors in 2021 and 2022 while throwing for 2,891 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior at Los Alamitos.After redshirting at USC behind Caleb Williams, Nelson transferred to Boise State, lost the starting battle to Maddux Madsen, and threw for 128 yards across three appearances before another portal move made him the most decorated recruit in UTEP history.
Nelson won UTEP's starting job in 2025 and started the first six games, throwing for 1,163 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. He passed for a career-high 401 yards and three touchdowns against Louisiana-Monroe, but a four-interception outing against Louisiana Tech in October cost him the job to backup Skyler Locklear, and he did not appear in another game. Nelson entered the transfer portal in January and committed to Syracuse for 2026, his fourth college program.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Prototype size at 6-3 with the recruiting-pedigree arm talent of a former five-star
- Flashed the ceiling against Tennessee-Martin, four scores on 14 of 26
- Quick-twitch athlete with the tools that drew national recruiting hype
- Flashes downfield arm talent, his most productive level in a thin sample
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Poor accuracy and production, completing under fifty-five percent in 2025
- Turnover-prone, nine interceptions in just six games before a benching
- Repeated failures to hold jobs or win competitions across four schools
- Processing and confidence questions cloud the entire projection right now
- Underneath throws crater behind the deep ball in accuracy
Scouting Report: Summary
Nelson was a former five-star and a top-15 overall recruit, but his college career has not taken hold, a path from USC to Boise State to UTEP that produced a 2025 of 1,154 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions over six games before he was benched on a 1-5 team. The tools are still visible, prototype 6-3 size, a quick-twitch athlete, and the arm talent that made him a national name.The ceiling flashed against Tennessee-Martin, four scores on 14 of 26, and he transferred to Syracuse for 2026, his fourth school in four years, on a reclamation arc. The pedigree keeps scouts checking back, but the production has to finally match the billing, and a fourth program is a lot to ask of a clean-slate season; the arm and the size remain the only reasons to keep watching.
The production is the reality. He completed under fifty-five percent in 2025, was turnover-prone with nine interceptions in six games, and has repeatedly failed to hold jobs or win competitions, with his short and intermediate accuracy cratering behind the deep ball. Processing and confidence questions cloud everything. The realistic projection is a high-upside, high-bust developmental flier whose pedigree keeps a door open, with 2026 at Syracuse a last clear chance to translate the tools. Until the accuracy and the decisions stabilize, the grade rests on traits and pedigree rather than anything close to a reliable body of work.
How other scouting services rate Malachi Nelson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
475.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
26.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.