Saturday, August 15, 2026

Klutch Sports Reportedly Signs 1st High School Athlete

  • Malachi Nelson is the top-ranked football player in the 2023 class.
  • According to On3’s rankings, Nelson has an NIL valuation of $738,000.
Malachi Nelson

One of the nation’s top high school football recruits is making history for a prominent sports agency.

QB Malachi Nelson — the No. 1-ranked recruit on ESPN’s class of 2023 rankings — is signing with Klutch Sports, per Pete Thamel.

Nelson — who is committed to play at USC but took a visit with Texas A&M recently — is Klutch’s first high school client. The agency will presumably represent him in negotiations for NIL deals.

According to On3’s NIL rankings, Nelson has an NIL valuation of $738,000 — good for 39th on the list and well behind Arch Manning, the highest-valued football recruit in his class (No. 3 overall).

It’s a further foray into the NIL world for the agency founded by Rich Paul and LeBron James.

Klutch signed then-USC QB Kedon Slovis in the immediate months following NIL legalization, and in a conversation with Front Office Sports in February, executive Jade-Li English emphasized that the agency is doing its best to be a resource for college and high school athletes in the space.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Exclusive

NFL’s Tom Brady Rules Are Back and Now Apply to Troy Aikman, Too

Aikman was involved in the Dolphins’ GM and coach hires this offseason.
Exclusive

Tarleton State Wants to Be the Next School to Jump to the FBS

The Texans are having conversations about how to reach the next level.

Why Jeff Bezos Remains on the NFL Ownership Sidelines

FSG announced the Liverpool deal Friday.
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; The Chicago Bears logo in the end zone before an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bears Call Indiana Stadium Plans Their ‘Sole Focus’

Bears chairman on Illinois: “Hope is not a strategy.”
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

NBA Owners ‘Stunned’ by Lakers Sale, Knicks’ $67M Run, WTA Sex Testing Starts

0:00

Featured Today

Trendy Golf Hat Divide Is More Than a Fashion Fight

As golf has gotten trendier, so has the sport’s style.
Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes
August 6, 2026

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.

Jayden Daniels Sets Off Firestorm at LSU Over Jersey Number

The Commanders quarterback sent LSU a cease-and-desist letter for using his NIL.
North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) drives to the basket Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
August 12, 2026

Athletes Capitalizing As NCAA Fights to Overturn New Eligibility Ruling

An appeals court will consider whether to pause the initial ruling.
First at FOS
August 13, 2026

Illinois’s $30M Busey Bank Deal: Exec Road Trips, Player Job Pipeline

The jersey patch deal is part of an overall $30 million sponsorship.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
Mar 21, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) reacts after a play against the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
August 11, 2026

Desmond Bane Wants College Basketball to Add a Salary Cap

Bane is TCU’s chief basketball officer.
Inside NCAA Headquarters located in Indianapolis on Friday, March 10, 2023. Ncaa President Charlie Baker
August 11, 2026

NCAA Loses First Appeal of Class of 2022 Eligibility Injunction

The NCAA lost its first battle to get the ruling overturned.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 6, 2026.
August 7, 2026

College Sports Bill Faces Steep Hurdles Before August Recess

The Congressional Black Caucus said it would not support the bill.
Dec 16, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Northern Colorado Bears forarwd Brock Wisne (14) dribbles the ball against Texas Tech Red Raiders forward JT Toppin (15) in the second half at United Supermarkets Arena
August 7, 2026

How NCAA-Athlete Eligibility Limbo Has Sown ‘Actual Chaos’

Coaches, GMs, and lawyers are still trying to sift through the upheaval.