Recruiting analyst explains why Nico Iamaleava was ranked No. 1 ahead of Arch Manning
The No. 1 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, according to On3.com, is Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who arrived in Knoxville in December. Iamaleava was elevated to the No. 1 spot in On3's final recruiting rankings. The California native passed Arch Manning, the nephew of Vols legend Peyton Manning, for the top spot in […]
The No. 1 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, according to On3.com, is Tennessee Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who arrived in Knoxville in December.
Iamaleava was elevated to the No. 1 spot in On3's final recruiting rankings.
The California native passed Arch Manning, the nephew of Vols legend Peyton Manning, for the top spot in the rankings.
On3's Charles Power explained this week why Iamaleava was rated higher than Manning.
Power noted that Iamaleava faced tougher high school competition, but that's not what put Nico ahead of Arch.
Instead, it's Iamaleava's physical ability and upside.
Power also thinks Iamaleava handles pressure better than Arch (via the metrics).
Iamaleava has palpable arm talent, with a whippy, quick release and the arm strength to drive the ball downfield with ease. Having seen both in person this fall, he has the clear edge in that department. Still, Manning has some of the better arms in the cycle and noticeably added velocity as a senior.
Another area where Iamaleava separates himself is reaction to pressure. He is a quick, reactive athlete who has shown the ability to evade pass rushers and blitzers in a split second.
This is an area where Manning did not fare as well as a senior. He took an inordinate number of sacks this fall. We charted him as being sacked 30 times for -201 yards over the course of the season. Sure, Manning was not playing behind a great offensive line, but most other top quarterbacks – including Iamaleava – have a sack total that is a fraction of 30.
Nico has all the tools to be the biggest star in college football. And he's joining an offense that will perfectly utilize his skills.
But the talented five-star still has to prove he can live up to the hype on Saturdays in the fall — just like any other five-star.
Tennessee, however, is hoping he doesn't have to prove anything this fall. The ideal scenario is Joe Milton starting every game at quarterback (the Vols hope it'll be 15 games) before handing the offense over to Nico in 2024.
Plans can change due to unforeseen circumstances, but this is what Tennessee, at least for now, is hoping for in 2023.
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports
