Malachi Coleman has risen to be the No. 1 football prospect in the state of Nebraska in the class of 2023. As the only four-star football player in the state, Coleman's 6-foot-5, 180-pound build and athleticism have many schools looking at him as a wide receiver or a pass rusher.

As of the beginning of February, Coleman told HuskerOnline that he talks to Baylor, Vanderbilt, Louisville and Nebraska the most. The four-star athlete recently went to Nebraska's Junior Day on March 5, and he's being recruited by a number of other Power Five programs.

As a junior at Lincoln East High School, Coleman had 561 receiving yards on 17 catches and scored 10 receiving touchdowns. The junior averaged 33 yards per reception with a long reception of 93 yards.

At defensive end, Coleman recorded 57 tackles including 38 solo tackles. He had 7.5 sacks, five pass breakups, four caused fumbles and one blocked punt.

But there is much more to Coleman than being a high-level athlete in football, basketball and track.

When Coleman isn't scoring touchdowns or causing fumbles on the football field, getting medals on the track or securing rebounds on the basketball court, Coleman is helping others.

Coleman is using his name, image and likeness (NIL) to earn money which he donates to help children in the foster care system. Coleman and his sister were adopted together when he was nine years old after four years in the system.

Now, as a four-star athlete, he has a NIL deal with Muchachos, a restaurant in downtown Lincoln, and with Triple B printing to sell t-shirts and sweatshirts with "Chi" scrolled across them.

He recently donated his proceeds to The Foster Care Closet, which is "passionate about restoring dignity to children in crisis as they enter into the foster care system," as their website states.

He said he wants to continue helping children in foster care in college and that being able to earn NIL money to that is important to him.

“Knowing what I've experienced and these kids still going through it every single day," Coleman said at HuskerOnline's In-State tour. "I want to do everything in my power to give back to them."

Coleman said he hasn't had an opportunity to spend time with the children he is helping but that it's something he wants to do and has plans to do in the future.

“I'm gonna actually put on a camp for kids over spring break where they can come and just hang out with me, play games with me, that type of stuff," he said. "I know a lot of kids that have always wanted to, so I gave them the opportunity for it.”

Beni Ngoyi, one of Coleman's good friends and a three-star wide receiver at Lincoln High, said he is proud of the work his friend is doing.

“It’s a good thing," Ngoyi said. "That’s something that’s really helping out the community and I really enjoy watching that.”

Coleman's commitment to helping others expands to what he plans to pursue as a career: sports psychology. He said one of the top qualities he looks for in schools is if they have a sports psychology major.

“I've always been interested in helping people," He said of why he chose that major. "It's something that I know I'm passionate about."

As for the football part of his decision, Coleman hasn't decided which side of the ball he wants to play on. Right now, he said he will do anything to get on the field, whether that's on offense, defense or special teams.

Nebraska wide receiver coach Mickey Joseph told Coleman's coach he wants him on the offensive side of the ball. Joseph visited Coleman on Jan. 14, shortly after he was hired onto head coach Scott Frost's staff.

“Getting to know Mickey is an amazing experience, that’s the only way I can describe it," Coleman said. "Because the way he teaches, it’s so technical sound, it makes you understand it. And if you don’t, he’ll go back in a way so you can. He’ll make sure that before you move on, you’ll be able to master this and I love that about him.”

The soon-to-be senior said he plans to release a top list in December after his final season, a summer full of camps and official visits and plenty of time to ensure he is making the right decision.

One of the many opportunities that Coleman received after he was adopted was the ability to play sports. He said he started playing sports in fourth or fifth grade after he was adopted because he said he wasn't allowed to play sports in the foster care system.

Sports has become one of his passions, along with helping children in the foster care system get the opportunities he wasn't given during his time within the system.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that these kids get the opportunities that they deserve,” Coleman said.