Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

UCLA's Nico Iamaleava Named to Impressive Preseason Watch List

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Idan Oz | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 4:00 PM ET

This Thursday, the Davey O'Brien Foundation announced that the UCLA Bruins' starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava had been selected to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List, which consists of 36 quarterbacks across the nation.

Iamaleava is the first UCLA QB to be added to the Preseason Watch List since Dorian Thompson-Robinson back in 2022. Thompson-Robinson even went on to become a semifinalist for the award after a stellar season where he notched 39 total touchdowns, 27 through the air and 12 on the ground, and finished with 3,169 passing yards.

From 36 Preseason Watch List players, the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee will release an official Davey O'Brien Midseason Watch List on October 21st, which will hold currently active players from the preseason list, players who receive the Great 8 honor through the season's first eight weeks, and any other QBs that the selection subcommittee approves.

Exactly a week later, on Tuesday, October 28th, the 35-player Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2025 will be announced. Fans who vote for their favorite players on social media, including Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook, will earn their guys bonus selection committee votes during the semis, finals and winner voting rounds. The first-round fan of voting will start on the 28th shortly after the QB Class announcement.

Iamaleava's Potential

The Preseason Watch List for this year was compiled based on numerous factors, including the players' Division I career performance along with their expectations heading into the upcoming 2025 college football season.

This award annually recognizes the nation's top quarterback in college football. The Davey O'Brien Award in particular is the most prestigious and longest-standing national quarterback award. This year, a 49th player will be selected to join a long and honorable list of past winners.

This is the third Award Watch List that Iamaleava has been named to so far, joining the Maxwell Award (most outstanding college football player) and Walter Camp Player of the Year. The expectations for him and the Bruins as a whole has been sky-high so far, but it wouldn't have been so if analysts and fans alike didn't believe that UCLA truly has a chance to have a spectacular season.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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