Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava has signed with UCLA, the college introduced Sunday.
Iamaleava confirmed his dedication to the Bruins through social media earlier within the day, his choice coming simply greater than every week after he departed the Volunteers amid a contract dispute.
“My journey at UT has come to an finish,” Iamaleava wrote in an Instagram put up. “This choice was extremely troublesome, and in truth, not one thing I anticipated to make this quickly. However I belief God’s timing, and I imagine He’s main me the place I should be.
“Regardless that this chapter is ending, a brand new chapter has begun and I’m dedicated to UCLA!”
Iamaleava and the Volunteers parted methods after he missed apply on April 11 amid an tried renegotiation of his identify, picture and likeness contract. He formally entered the switch portal on Wednesday, the primary day of the spring window, and was anticipated to land at UCLA, a supply briefed on the method instructed The Athletic on Wednesday.
Iamaleava was ranked because the No. 1 participant within the switch portal and it’s unclear how a lot he’ll make at UCLA. He was slated to make $2.2 million within the final of a four-year, $8 million contract he signed with a Tennessee NIL collective in his senior 12 months of highschool. He was reportedly asking for $4 million, which is across the prime of the quarterback market, however Tennessee rebuffed that quantity and no significant negotiations materialized, in accordance with a supply briefed on the method.
“I’m happy with the stand we took as a college,” former Tennessee coach and athletic director Phillip Fulmer instructed The Athletic final week.
The marketplace for Iamaleava was not anticipated to be sturdy for a number of causes. Some personnel staffers, who spoke on situation of anonymity to evaluate one other staff’s participant, had been skeptical he would get near what he requested of Tennessee and felt what he was getting paid was honest. He was unlikely to switch to a different SEC faculty due to a convention rule banning quick eligibility for intraconference transfers who enter the portal after Feb. 1.
The timing of Iamaleava’s switch additionally performed into his lack of choices. Most Energy 4 groups have settled on their beginning quarterback for 2025 and allotted that cash accordingly.
With income sharing — a part of the Home v. NCAA settlement — anticipated to be applied upon the settlement’s approval, all colleges will likely be working with a $20.5 million cap for athletes in 2025, most of which will likely be allotted to soccer. There weren’t many groups believed to have hundreds of thousands accessible to amass an influence participant at this level within the calendar, as a result of the spring switch portal window is just not usually flush with elite expertise.
Iamaleava’s dedication to UCLA brings him again to his dwelling state. A Lengthy Seashore, Calif. native, Iamaleava was a five-star recruit within the 2023 class and ranked because the No. 3 prospect within the nation, in accordance with the 247Sports Composite. He redshirted as a freshman however quarterbacked the Vols to a 10-3 file and a School Soccer Playoff look final season. He threw for two,616 yards and 19 touchdowns with 5 interceptions in 2024, his second season in Knoxville. However he was removed from elite, totaling eight landing passes and 5 interceptions in eight video games in opposition to bowl groups. Operating again Dylan Sampson (1,491 speeding yards, 22 touchdowns) and the third-best scoring protection within the SEC (16.1 factors allowed per sport) performed key roles in powering Tennessee’s run to the School Soccer Playoff.
Iamaleava’s arrival now breeds curiosity about the way forward for the Bruins’ quarterback depth chart. Earlier this 12 months, UCLA added former Appalachian State beginning quarterback Joey Aguilar, who entered the switch portal in December. Aguilar threw for six,760 yards and 56 touchdowns in 25 profession begins for the Mountaineers and would have been in good place to be the starter this fall, working beneath new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri.
Will Aguilar think about hitting the portal now that the Bruins have landed Iamaleava? A supply briefed on Aguilar’s considering instructed The Athletic final week that he intends to remain at UCLA and compete for the beginning job.
Both approach, Iamaleava’s addition offers intrigue for coach DeShaun Foster and the Bruins.
(Picture: Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Photos)
