Malachi Nelson was born to parents Eric and Naomi Nelson. As a passionate football fan, Nelson’s father had a massive influence on his son to play the sport.
Nelson showed early signs of greatness, as his father recalled his child having amazing arm strength as early as 9.
The football prodigy had received an offer to play quarterback for Louisiana State University when he was an eighth grader.
Malachi Nelson, born on December 7, 2004, is an American football player currently playing for the South Carolina Trojans as a quarterback. The young athlete was born in Los Alamitos, California.
The 18-year-old started receiving scholarship offers to play college football when he was just an eighth grader.
Nelson recorded eight touchdowns and five interceptions and passed for 883 yards as a freshman for Los Alamitos.
Furthermore, as a sophomore, the youngster had completed 73.9% of passes for 1,513 yards and recorded 23 touchdowns.
Additionally, he was named the Press-Telegram Player of the Year after passing for 2,690 yards and 39 touchdowns in his junior season. Following his senior season, ESPN ranked the quarterback as the best recruit in the nation.
The young player received offers from several colleges, including Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC, before committing to Oklahoma first.
Unfortunately, after the departure of the Oklahoma head coach, Lincoln Riley, the quarterback decided to commit to play at USC instead.
Malachi Nelson Parents
Malachi Nelson is the son of proud parents Eric and Naomi Nelson. Nelson’s father, Eric, is a well-known pastor at Calvary Chapel WestGrove in Garden Grove, California.
The senior pastor has been married to his wife Naomi for over 20 years. Besides Malachi, the couple share two more children.
The mother of three seems to enjoy a life away from all the spotlight, which is why there haven’t been many reports about the loving mother.
Meanwhile, pastor Eric mentions humble beginnings, when he was the only person with an income, trying to raise three kids in California.
Consequently, he was in utter joy when Nelson signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with The H.wood Group.
Malachi has become a trailblazer in the NIL world, with constant guidance from his father and his coach, Justin J. Giangrande.
The pastor confirmed that they have maintained a careful approach to NIL and have heeded the counsel of parents of other younger players to best navigate the new world of NIL.
Further, Eric believes in affiliating themselves with the best team rather than chasing money.
The father-son duo have a clear vision that they want to see young Nelson playing in the NFL.
However, Eric has enjoyed the added income from his son. The pastor insists that they haven’t taken money from their son. Nevertheless, he is relieved that his son has become self-sufficient.
Life After Signing The NIL
Following the new contract signing, the young quarterback upgraded his car from a 1999 Ford Escape to a 2022 Mercedes AMG GLE 53 Coupe.
Nelson Sr. joked how the old car, nicknamed The Dragon, would break down and wouldn’t start when the pastor had to go pick up his kids. The pastor appreciates the upgrade on their unreliable “The Dragon.”
Additionally, Eric admits that his son has made some flashy purchases after signing the deal. However, the father of three is delighted that the young prodigy is also learning strategic financial thinking.
Furthermore, the pastor is pleased with his 18-year-old and praises his vision and planning for long-term investments and real estate.
At the age of only 18, with amazing deals in his clutches, the young footballing prodigy is a massive talent the fans need to keep an eye on.
