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Weeks after Nico Iamaleava controversially left Tennessee, the quarterback has seemingly found a new home. While not yet official, all signs point to Iamaleava transferring to UCLA from the college football transfer portal.
With the two sides reportedly nearing a deal, the UCLA coaching staff informed its quarterback room that they expect Iamaleava to soon join the team, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. Iamaleava has yet to officially sign with the Bruins, but the move indicates the team's confidence in the move coming shortly.
Following the graduation of 2024 starter Ethan Garbers, UCLA only has two quarterbacks currently on its roster. Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar was previously projected to take over as the starter with sophomore Luke Duncan as his backup.
Iamaleava entered the spring transfer portal after failed NIL contract negotiations with Tennessee. While the Volunteers previously agreed to pay the former five-star recruit $2 million per season, he reportedly sought a new $4 million annual paycheck. His ensuing holdout led to Josh Heupel's staff deciding to move on from the quarterback.
Since then, Iamaleava supposedly sought the same $4 million deal from each team he communicated with in the portal. UCLA was the only team that appeared to agree, but still seemed hesitant to fork over the lofty amount. Still, the move appears imminent, though Iamaleava does not seem willing to budge on his $4 million asking price.
Nico Iamaleava preparing to join UCLA football team
Once the move is official, Iamaleava would become UCLA's highest-rated recruit from the college football transfer portal since its inception. Despite the baggage that comes with him, the 20-year-old quarterback is still rated as the No. 1 signal-caller available. As a native of Long Beach, California, the move would allow him to return to his home state.
Even with Aguilar on the roster, Iamaleava would immediately slot in as UCLA's starting quarterback in 2025. Aguilar, who is preparing for his final season of eligibility, is a candidate to re-enter the portal should Iamaleava make the move official.
In DeShaun Foster's first year as head coach, UCLA went just 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game for the first time in four years. The Bruins' move to the Big 10 coincided with Foster replacing Chip Kelly at the helm, making for a clear transitional year in Los Angeles.
