Where Tennessee Vols QB Nico Iamaleava lands in very early 2026 NFL mock draft
Believe it or not, there are already some 2026 NFL mock drafts popping up, despite the fact that the 2024 NFL Draft just wrapped up a few weeks ago. It's early for 2025 mock drafts, let alone 2026 mock drafts. But it's still fun to look at projections so we can see how things change […]
Believe it or not, there are already some 2026 NFL mock drafts popping up, despite the fact that the 2024 NFL Draft just wrapped up a few weeks ago.
It's early for 2025 mock drafts, let alone 2026 mock drafts. But it's still fun to look at projections so we can see how things change over the next year or so.
DraftCountdown.com's Shane Hallam, a longtime NFL draft analyst, released an early 2026 mock draft earlier this month and he has Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava getting selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 1 overall selection.
Hallam is assuming two things by making this prediction:
1. The Panthers are going to be terrible in 2024 and in 2025, which will lead to the franchise moving on from quarterback Bryce Young.
2. Iamaleava is going to be as advertised for the Vols and declare for the NFL draft after his redshirt sophomore season.
Iamaleava certainly has the talent to go No. 1 overall — this isn't a bold prediction from Hallam considering that Nico was the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class. But the talented quarterback still has to perform at an elite level for the Vols if he's going to be in the conversation to be the top overall selection.
By the way, Hallam also has another Tennessee player getting selected in the first round of his early 2026 mock draft. Hallam has offensive tackle Lance Heard, who transferred from LSU to Tennessee earlier this offseason, going to the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 31 overall selection.
Heard is expected to be the Vols' starting left tackle in 2024 (and Tennessee hopes that's the case in 2025 as well).
Prominent NFL fan base already wants to tank for Texas QB Arch Manning
Might not be a bad idea
