Many people still find it hard to believe that quarterback Nico Iamaleava won’t be playing for the Tennessee football team this season. The former 5-star recruit has moved on and is now preparing to compete for UCLA in the Big Ten.
As we’ve mentioned before, losing Iamaleava at quarterback will definitely be a blow to Tennessee, especially after Josh Heupel and his staff led the team to the College Football Playoff last winter. So, how impactful will Nico be for his new team? Unfortunately for Vols fans, ESPN predicts he’ll be outstanding, ranking him as the No. 5 transfer in college football this year.
Nico Iamaleava is expected to have a huge year for the UCLA Bruins in 2025
ESPN’s Max Olson noted that Iamaleava faced a lot of expectations as a redshirt freshman starter in 2024 and delivered a strong season, throwing for 2,616 yards, completing 64% of his passes, and recording 22 total touchdowns against nine turnovers while leading the Vols to 10 wins.
Although he struggled in the College Football Playoff opener—completing 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards in a 42-17 loss to eventual champions Ohio State—Iamaleava still has significant potential to develop.
It’s uncommon for a quarterback of his talent to be available in the spring, and he aims to continue improving and fulfill his first-round promise.
Adding to the uncertainty, the anticipated Vols starting quarterback, Joey Aguilar, didn’t appear on ESPN’s Top 100 list. There’s hope Aguilar will emerge as a standout and help the offense maintain its strength.
But with many questions lingering—such as how Aguilar will adapt to SEC competition—some may call for freshman Jake Merklinger to get more playing time if Aguilar struggles. More clarity should come this summer and fall, but for now, losing Iamaleava is still a tough blow.
Many were surprised by Iamaleava’s departure, especially given how he left—skipping practice and not communicating was not the best approach. However, it’s in the past, and now the Vols are hopeful their future remains bright, even as Iamaleava trades his Vols jersey for a Bruins one.
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