Nico Iamaleava will take his skills elsewhere throughout the 2025 faculty soccer season after Tennessee moved on from the star quarterback Saturday, ending a high-stakes public standoff centered round Identify, Picture, and Likeness compensation. Iamaleava helped Tennessee attain the inaugural 12-team School Soccer Playoff in his first season as a full-time starter and can enter the switch portal as its No. 1 ranked participant, in line with 247Sports.
Iamaleava’s profitable NIL contract made him the face of the early NIL period in faculty athletics when he dedicated to Tennessee out of highschool. His standoff with the Vols additionally marked the primary public holdout between a college and a star quarterback due to NIL pay.
ESPN reported Friday that Iamaleava’s camp was looking for a brand new NIL package deal value round $4 million yearly, which might be practically double his unique NIL cope with Tennessee.
Tennessee shifting on from Nico Iamaleava strikes a blow in opposition to endless NIL negotiations
Chris Hummer
Some early potential suitors for Iamaleava’s companies embody UCLA and USC. The Bruins, specifically, seem like an early frontrunner for the Southern California native, however questions stay on whether or not UCLA has the funds to make it work, 247Sports stories. In that very same report, 247Sports’ Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz describe a marketplace for Iamaleava that won’t befit the No. 1 switch, with elements like cash, timing and doable baggage coming into play after Iamaleava left Tennessee in unsavory style.
If Iamaleava would not find yourself at USC or UCLA, do not count on him to switch to a different SEC faculty this offseason. SEC gamers who enter the switch portal throughout the spring window should sit out the next season in the event that they switch inside the convention.
That is an ongoing story and CBS Sports activities is offering LIVE UPDATES on the Nico Iamaleava state of affairs.
Listed below are 5 logical locations for the place Iamaleava will play throughout the 2025 season
UCLA
Why it is sensible: UCLA’s basketball program made a splash in touchdown former New Mexico star Donovan Dent final month. The worth tag to land one considered one of faculty basketball’s most coveted transfers was round $3 million, sources instructed CBS Sports activities’ Isaac Trotter.
Might the soccer program be subsequent to make a giant transfer? The early buzz suggests UCLA can be one of many frontrunners to land the previous five-star quarterback.
Out of all of the packages listed, the Bruins have probably the most obtrusive gap below middle. They introduced in App State quarterback Joey Aguilar this previous offseason, and he tasks because the starter heading into the autumn. Snagging Iamaleava out of the switch portal could be a constructing block for DeShaun Foster heading into 12 months 2 of his tenure.
USC
Why it is sensible: Lincoln Riley is a quarterback guru with a confirmed monitor file of success with transfers.
The hold-up could be that USC already has a succesful starter heading into the 2025 season in Jayden Maiava. He spent a lot of the 2024 marketing campaign backing up Miller Moss, however made a splash after taking up the offense late within the season. USC would have loads of offensive weapons to help Iamaleava, however bringing him in may upset the stability for the remainder of the quarterback room, which incorporates highly-touted incoming freshman Husan Longstreet.
Notre Dame
Why it is sensible: Lower than three months faraway from reaching the nationwide title recreation, Notre Dame once more has a gap at quarterack. With Riley Leonard off to the NFL Draft, it is anticipated to be a three-horse race between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey to earn the title of QB1.
Notre Dame did not dip into the switch portal for a veteran quarterback this cycle to search out an on the spot starter like this system did the final two seasons and was steadfast throughout the winter window that it could not.
Nonetheless, though Iamaleava is not a veteran starter, he has extra beginning expertise than any of the three listed names and has extra uncooked expertise. Angeli’s was Notre Dame’s backup final season, and he did seem in some video games — together with the School Soccer Playoff semifinal win in opposition to Penn State. If Notre Dame needs to maintain custom by trotting out a switch portal quarterback, Iamaleava is the best choice.
Notre Dame QB, Arch Manning weapons amongst key place battles as faculty soccer spring practices conclude
Chip Patterson
North Carolina
Why it is sensible: UNC could possibly be a wild card staff for Iamaleava. UNC’s Week 1 starter from final season, Max Johnson, is coming off a major leg damage. He’s considered one of three quarterbacks listed on UNC’s roster, alongside freshman Bryce Baker and Purdue switch Ryan Browne. The Tar Heels haven’t got a transparent starter heading into Week 1.
Iamaleava would change that for first-year coach Invoice Belichick.
Including Iamaleava could be a major funding, nevertheless it could possibly be well worth the swing. It is the sort of addition that would outline Belichick’s faculty tenure.
Oregon
Why it is sensible: Oregon recruited Iamaleava out of highschool when (now) Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham was the offensive coordinator on the faculty. This addition may make sense if Iamaleava had proximity to dwelling in thoughts, however the Geese have already got Dillon Gabriel’s successor in place: Dante Moore. After spending one season at UCLA, Moore transferred to Oregon and sat behind Gabriel final season.
Moore is anticipated to be Oregon’s starter this fall. So, if Iamaleava transfers to Oregon, it could doubtless create a ripple impact within the quarterback room.
