Tennessee Vols QB Nico Iamaleava is already receiving NFL draft hype
Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who will be a redshirt freshman this fall, has only made one collegiate start (UT's win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl last season), but he's already receiving some NFL draft hype. Pro Football Focus recently took a look at who the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who will be a redshirt freshman this fall, has only made one collegiate start (UT's win against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl last season), but he's already receiving some NFL draft hype.
Pro Football Focus recently took a look at who the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft would be if everyone in college football was eligible for the draft.
Nico didn't make that top 10 list, but he was singled out by PFF as a "prospect to know" for the 2026 NFL Draft (which is when Nico will be first eligible for the NFL draft).
From PFF: While no 2026 quarterback cracked the top 10, that was more due to a lack of playing time than potential. There were five true freshman quarterbacks last year who were top-15 overall recruits coming out of high school. Since 2004, the previous high in a class was three.
The one with the highest ceiling of them all is Iamaleava. At 6-foot-6, he has a strong arm to pair with impressive mobility at that size. The true freshman made his lone start in the Citrus Bowl against Iowa. Despite the Hawkeyes featuring one of the best defenses in the country, he finished with an 84.9 PFF grade, two big-time throws and three rushing touchdowns in the 35-0 victory. With starter Joe Milton III off to the NFL, Iamaleava can stake his claim as the 2026 QB1 as the full-time starter next season.
Quarterback recruiting is already in a great place for the Vols — Tennessee landed a commitment from 2025 five-star quarterback George MacIntyre earlier this year.
But it can go to another level if Nico ends up being as advertised over the next couple of years. If the California native has a huge 2024 season, he'll likely be the most talked-about player in college football entering the 2025 season.
Remember all the talk/hype around USC quarterback Caleb Williams during the 2023 season?
That's the kind of attention Nico could receive in 2025, which would be massive for Tennessee when it comes to recruiting.
The Vols are obviously hoping Nico can lead the program to a national championship during his time on Rocky Top. They're also hoping that if he excels, it will lead to Tennessee landing even more championship-caliber players in the future.
