$4M demand to Tennessee casts doubt around Nico Iamaleava’s move to UNC as Bill Belichick & Co. look for a QB
Nico Iamaleava is searching for a landing spot. The former Tennessee quarterback has entered the transfer portal after his NIL terms ahead of the 2025 college football season were not met by Tennessee.
Iamaleava is now arguably the most in-demand player in the April transfer window. One potential suitor is Bill Belichick's North Carolina Tar Heels, but there's a major roadblock to the move.
"Bill Belichick will be a 'known buyer' in the quarterback market this spring...[but] Iamaleava's asking price of $4 million could be too much for the North Carolina," On3 reported.
The Tar Heels are entering a new era with Belichick at the helm. They're fresh off a 6-7 season that ended with a bowl game loss against the UConn Huskies. Belichick has been hired to guide UNC back to the upper echelon of college football.
So the only way lamaleava can become a Tar Heel is if he cedes his asking price of $4 million. However, that might be a bad look after he had to sever roots with Tennessee for not budging on the price.
Belichick's tenure with UNC starts with a game against the TCU Horned Frogs, and their regular season campaign ends with a matchup versus NC State.
What's Nico Iamaleava bringing to his next team?
Nico Iamaleava became the full-time starter for the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2024 season. It came after he spent the 2023 season as a backup to Joe Milton. The 20-year-old thrived in the QB1 role and guided the program to its first college football playoff berth in its history.
Iamaleava thrived as a dual-threat quarterback in Coach Josh Heupel's system. He amassed a stat line of 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He added 109 carries, 358 rushing yards, and three touchdowns for good measure. He earned future Heisman Trophy shouts for his efforts.
Therefore, Iamaleava will bring playoff experience and a winning mentality to his next team. Of course, it'll likely cost a fortune to get him on board, but the 6 ft 6 in quarterback has the tools needed to thrive in the modern game.