When Nico Iamaleava dropped the bombshell on UCLA in April 2025, it caused a ripple throughout the world of college football. This was not another high-end quarterback making a switch—it was a symbolic moment in the NIL-and-transfer-portal era that is quickly changing the sport.
Iamaleava had been Tennessee’s crown jewel in terms of College Football Playoff aspirations. And he immediately made UCLA a program on the quiet transition into a dark-horse contender in the now-expanded Big Ten.
Nico Iamaleava Hype Cranks Up in 2025 Big Ten Power Rankings
The decision was brazen. It was unpopular. And it could be just what UCLA has needed. Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee surprised many.
Back in the lab. 🧪
#GBO pic.twitter.com/hfT5rNkPCL
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 22, 2025
He had just finished a solid 2024 season, guiding the Volunteers to a 10–3 mark and their first trip to the expanded College Football Playoff. He threw for solid numbers:
- 2,616 passing yards
- 19 touchdowns and five interceptions
- 358 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns
He’d already been a 2024 Citrus Bowl MVP as a true freshman and was broadly regarded as the face of Tennessee’s future. But the new normal for college football is money—lots of it. Iamaleava’s departure reportedly was due to NIL talks, rumors that he sought an increase from his already astronomical $2.4 million contract.
When that didn’t happen, he headed westward, back home to California, in a deal valued at approximately $1.5 million. The decision was finally made on April 20, with Iamaleava signing with UCLA and immediately altering the Bruins’ course.
Just about as quickly, quarterback Joey Aguilar, who had transferred from Appalachian State earlier this offseason and was being tabbed to start, returned to the portal. That created an opportunity for Iamaleava to become QB1 in the hands of new head coach DeShaun Foster and OC Tino Sunseri.
Who Is Nico Iamaleava, Really?
Let’s talk talent. Iamaleava was the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2023 class for a reason. He’s 6’6″, has a cannon for an arm, and moves with deceptive speed for his size. In 2024, he completed nearly 64% of his passes and, perhaps more importantly, showed toughness as a first-year starter in the gauntlet of SEC play.
He’s a contemporary dual-threat quarterback—capable of defeating you in the air or grinding you down on the ground. His playing style is reminiscent of quarterbacks such as Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. He also combines top-end arm strength with athleticism and improvisational ability.
But more than anything else, what makes Iamaleava special is his ceiling. He’s just getting started.
His career collegiate record as of 2025?
- 11–3 as a starter
- 144.2 career passer rating
- Experience in high-pressure games
Now, he brings that talent to a UCLA program seeking to reboot itself in the Big Ten’s new pecking order. UCLA’s staff is all-in on Iamaleava’s potential, and they’re constructing the system to make it happen.
Meanwhile, new OC Tino Sunseri is no stranger to dynamic offenses. He helped guide Indiana to the College Football Playoff in 2024. He earned a reputation as one of the brightest young minds in the game. Sunseri’s system leans heavily on pre-snap motion, RPOs, and creative route concepts—an ideal playground for a mobile QB like Iamaleava.
As Iamaleava grabs headlines, he won’t have to do it solo. UCLA has assembled a solid roster quietly through the portal and recruiting. They bring back some of their core offensive pieces and pick up key transfers, such as:
- Jeremiah Hunter (WR)—The Cal alumnus offers established production and veteran guidance.
- Jaydn Ott (RB) – Also out of Cal, Ott ran for more than 1,100 yards in 2024 and provides explosive equilibrium to the backfield.
- New O-Line Additions—Foster focused on strengthening the offensive line, bringing Pac-12 and Big 12 experience to safeguard their new franchise QB.
The defense, though still a work in progress, will be enhanced by increased size and quickness up front in the seven, along with a couple of supporting pieces from the SEC.
Foster has made it clear that he wants to construct a unit that can “hit hard and chase fast”—something the Big Ten requires.
The Road Ahead: Big Ten Grind, Big-Time Opportunity
UCLA’s 2025 Big Ten schedule is tough, but not terrible. They miss Michigan and Penn State and see marquee games such as:
- Oct. 4 vs. Iowa
- Oct. 25 at Nebraska
- Nov. 15 vs. Oregon
- Nov. 29 at USC (Rivalry Week)
With Iamaleava at the helm, each game is must-see TV.
UCLA is already being floated as high as 8th and as low as 11th in the preseason Big Ten power poll by analysts, but with this kind of talent—and a quarterback with a Playoff pedigree—they might just finish much, much higher.
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