• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, April 7, 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.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates the team’s NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship victory Monday, April 6, 2026, after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Michigan’s $10 Million Roster Was Enough to Win a Title

UConn spent millions more, but the Wolverines spent where it mattered.
Michigan head coach Dusty May does an interview on stage as the team celebrates beating Connecticut to win the NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Michigan’s Basketball Title Follows Scandal-Ridden Football Season

Michigan fired football coach Sherrone Moore in December.

Chicago Mayor Pushes for Rejected Downtown Bears Stadium Site

Despite the team’s focus on suburban options, city leaders continue their efforts.

Featured Today

Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) and center Tomislav Ivisic (13) react in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center.

Loopholes Enable Int’l College Basketball Players to Cash In

Schools have scrambled to find a way to compensate international players.
April 1, 2026

‘The Sonics Never Died’: The Long Afterlife of Seattle NBA Merch

Inside “the largest team shop for a team that doesn’t exist.” 
Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA;UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) dunks the ball against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena
March 28, 2026

March Madness Coaches Debate ‘Blueblood’ in NIL Era

The term’s meaning was up for debate at men’s March Madness.
Maxime Vachier Lagrave
March 25, 2026

The Planet’s Best Chess Players Are Having Their LIV Golf Moment

Chess’s most prestigious tournament is battling a splashy Saudi event.

Michael Malone Set to Be Next North Carolina Basketball Coach

Malone was working as an NBA analyst for ESPN.
April 6, 2026

UConn, Michigan Assistants Pull Double Duty Ahead of Title Game

Luke Murray and Justin Joyner have already taken head coaching jobs elsewhere.
April 6, 2026

Dusty May Leaves Door Cracked for NBA Jobs

May has signed two contracts in two years at Michigan.
Sponsored

From Gold Medalist to Business Founder

Allyson Felix on investing in women’s sports and what comes next for track & LA28.
April 5, 2026

UCLA Wins First NCAA Title in Resounding Blowout

The Bruins won an AIAW title in 1978.
April 5, 2026

Alex Karaban Ignored the Portal. Now He Could Make History

‘Unrestricted free agency’ never appealed to Karaban.
April 5, 2026

Tarris Reed’s Jump to UConn Helped Both Teams to the Title Game

Reed played his first two seasons at Michigan. 
Michigan basketball
April 5, 2026

Michigan Positions Big Ten for Potential National Title Trifecta

Michigan can win the Big Ten’s first men’s basketball national title since 2000.