REPORT: UCLA staff informs the QB room about Tennessee transfer QB Nico Iamaleava’s joining
Nico Iamaleava has found his new home. The former Tennessee quarterback has opted to join the UCLA Bruins for the 2025 season, and potentially the rest of his collegiate football career.
According to On3 Sports, the Bruins have informed their quarterback room of Iamaleava's expected commitment. The room can now anticipate Iamaleava's arrival ahead of the 2025 college football season.
Iamaleava arrives at UCLA with an NIL cloud over his head. The QB entered the transfer portal after his camp, and the Tennessee Volunteers failed to reach a compromise regarding his contract for the 2025 season. He entered the transfer portal and was promptly scooped by the UCLA Bruins.
Iamaleava will have the chance to play in similar surroundings. He was born in Long Beach, California, and attended Warren High School in Downey, California. He had offers from numerous programs but opted to join the Tennessee Vols. However, he's now back to where it all began.
Iamaleava joins the Bruins after leading the Tennessee Volunteers to their first-ever college football playoff appearance. While they fell in the first round, their performances drew widespread praise. However, the California-born quarterback is set for a homecoming in Year 3.
Which UCLA QBs could compete with Nico Iamaleava in 2025?
Nico Iamaleava is walking into a quarterback room with some talented quarterbacks. The starting quarterback battle will likely come down to Nico Iamaleava, Joey Aguilar and Dermaricus Davis.
Joey Aguilar is entering his senior year and is fresh off a decent two-season stint with the Mountaineers. He was the statement offensive transfer addition before Iamaleava committed to the program. The QB1 battle will likely hinge on effort and who builds stronger chemistry with the pass catchers.
Dermaricus Davis is the next quarterback on the preseason depth chart. Davis didn't feature in the 2024 campaign, and he will look for a more prominent role in 2025. That might involve beating one of Iamaleava and Aguilar to QB2, but you can be sure he'd make a challenge.
UCLA Bruins fans will hope that the addition of Nico Iamaleava and other transfers will take them to the upper echelon of collegiate football.