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Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) during a Tennessee football practice, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why This UCLA Rival Was Never an Option for Iamaleava

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Nico Iamaleava's transfer from Tennessee to UCLA shook the college football landscape.

In the fallout, many questions rose about why he left the Vols, why he chose the Bruins, and what exactly the reason was that he left a team he just led to the College Football Playoffs. But another question loomed -- of all the schools in his home state of California, why not USC?

Iamaleava answered all but the final question through his Big Ten Media Days appearances, and now, just a few days ago, in a sit-down interview with CBS Sports, he detailed why he never even looked at the Trojans as an option when coming home.

"I don't think [USC] was ever really part of it," Iamaleava said of his transfer journey. "You know, they never really recruited me out of high school, so I never really looked at [USC] as a going factor. Coming back home was, for me, to go to UCLA."

On what stands out the most about UCLA, Iamaleava continued, "It has everything you need, man. Top-tier education. We want to bring championships back to Westwood, and I thought it was a great opportunity to come out and represent California. And, you know, just represent UCLA, bring them back to what UCLA is."

Following a stellar redshirt freshman year in the SEC with the Vols, Iamaleava is primed to have a great year with the Bruins. Except, to much the dismay of Bruins fans, if the redshirt sophomore has a good enough season, he might be out at the end of it.

Iamaleava Has Eyes on Next Level

"This is a year where I'm really trying to get out after," Iamaleava said of his aspirations for the NFL. "I'm going to give my all to UCLA and, you know, if I have the year I want, I want to get out."

Naturally, the UCLA signal-caller is the Bruins' most sought-after prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.

All Access Football writer Ric Serritella listed Iamaleava atop UCLA's top-10 draft prospects ahead of the season. Here's what he had to say:

"No player caused more headlines this offseason than Iamaleava, who is expected to be the straw that stirs the drink in Westwood. After a much scrutinized departure from Tennessee, there was a heated race for his services and deservedly so. The five-star recruit possesses all the physical tools of a franchise signal-caller.

"That is due to the howitzer of an arm that Iamaleava owns. In fact, he tossed some of the prettiest deep balls in all of college football last season. He combines great arm strength with superb scrambling ability, able to avoid the rush and extend plays in the pocket. Iamaleava had always been known as a quiet, hard worker and one of the smartest players during his time in Knoxville. Another favorable characteristic is his ability to stay calm under pressure.

"Entering 2025, Iamaleava will transition to a new school and scheme but his ceiling remains as high as ever. There is room for improvement to refine some of his mechanics and become a more consistent performer. The Cali native caught some criticism for his streaky play against SEC competition, so NFL scouts will be monitoring how he fares against top 25 foes. Should Iamaleava fulfill expectations, he could be one and done in LA."

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

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