Five-Star Plus+ QB Malachi Nelson decommits from Oklahoma

Los Alamitos (Calif.) Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Malachi Nelson has decommitted from Oklahoma, he announced Sunday.

The move comes on the heels of news that Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley will be the next head coach at USC.

“I want to start by thanking all the coaches and staff at OU for seeing enough in me and recruiting me to be a part of Sooner Nation,” Nelson told On3’s Hayes Fawcett. “One of the things that attracted me most to OU, other than the rich history and amazing fans, was the stability in the coaching staff and their ability to develop the QB position.”

Malachi Nelson is the No. 3 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is the nation’s No. 2 quarterback, behind only New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman signal-caller Arch Manning. He is considered a Five-Star Plus+ prospect, which signifies that he is ranked as a five-star prospect by each of the four major recruiting media companies.

He is the third player to decommit Sunday from the Sooners since Riley’s departure was first announced. The other two are also 2022 prospects in Miami Gardens (Fla.) American Heritage four-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss and Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy four-star running back Treyaun Webb.

They will not be the last.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder committed to Riley and Co. back in July over offers from Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC.