The college football transfer portal spring window had some big names enter the fold. Among them, the most notable was Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava wanted more NIL money from Tennessee, and when he didn't get it, he entered the portal. Unfortunately, he never got the NIL deal he was hoping for, and he ended up transferring to UCLA for a less-than-desired NIL package.
Moreover, the fit at UCLA is a bit confusing, especially as the Bruins enter the second year of the DeShaun Foster era with some questions about the roster.
Bill Bender of Sporting News ranked his top 25 QBs for the 2025 season, and Iamaleava was at No. 15 on the list.
"Is this the right spot for Iamaleava – a five-star recruit from the 2023 class who led Tennessee to a 10-3 record and a CFP berth in his first year as a starter? Of course, Iamaleava became the centerpiece of the spring season because of a NIL dispute with Tennessee that led to a transfer to UCLA. Iamaleava was 2-2 as a starter against ranked teams last season, and he will have to make a quick adjustment to playing in the Big Ten. Iamaleava will arguably be the most-scrutinized QB on this list in 2025."
There is no denying that Iamaleava has talent. In 2024, he threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions as Tennessee made the College Football Playoff.
However, his 2-2 record against ranked teams, and his zero-touchdown performance against Ohio State in the CFP first round left much to be desired.
In a lot of ways, UCLA is a downgrade from a football perspective compared to Tennessee, so he has a big adjustment to make going from Rocky Top to Westwood.