Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Report: Where UCLA's Iamaleava Landed in Final Transfer Ranking

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 15, 2025 10:33 PM ET

UCLA immediately elevated its offense when it added transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava last month.

The former Tennessee quarterback was the top transfer available when the Bruins added him last month, but a recent ranking didn't have him quite as high.

ESPN's final top 100 transfer ranking placed Iamaleava fifth, trailing Fernando Mendoza (4), Darian Mensah (3), Carson Beck (2) and John Mateer (1).

"Well, this was a stunner," wrote ESPN's Max Olson. "While there were rumors of discontent in late December at the winter portal deadline, it was still shocking that Iamaleava left a College Football Playoff team and hit the open market during the spring in search of a better deal than the one he had with the Vols.

"Tennessee invested a ton of money in Iamaleava and even successfully fought off an attempted NCAA investigation into the seven-figure agreement he struck with the Vols as a five-star high school recruit. He had an awful lot of hype to live up to as a redshirt freshman starter in 2024 and put together a solid year, throwing for 2,616 yards, completing 64% of his passes with 22 total touchdowns and nine turnovers while leading the Vols to 10 wins.

"Iamaleava closed out the season with a rough CFP performance, completing 14 of 31 passes for 104 yards in a 42-17 first-round loss to eventual national champ Ohio State, and still has plenty of room to grow. But it is exceptionally rare that a QB of his caliber becomes available in the spring. Iamaleava is looking to keep progressing and play up to his first-round potential."

Considering the difference in talent between UCLA and Tennessee, ESPN's Tom Luginbill said Iamaleava is "going to have to be better than he has ever been."

Olson went on to go in depth on what the move means for UCLA.

"This ordeal might have played out perfectly for the Bruins," he wrote. "They're getting a potential top-10 quarterback on a reduced contract who will generate a lot of attention for this program entering coach DeShaun Foster's second year.

"Iamaleava's arrival will cost them App State transfer QB Joey Aguilar, who reentered the portal after going through spring practice with the Bruins and landed at Tennessee. The challenge going forward for Iamaleava is learning OC Tino Sunseri's system and winning over his new teammates this summer, but he'll certainly be motivated after his split with the Vols."