Comment from Nico Iamaleava's father shows exactly why the 5-star QB will have success at Tennessee
2023 five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava is the most hyped Tennessee Vols commit in recent memory. For starters, Iamaleava plays the most important position on the field. Secondly, he's rumored to be the 2023 recruit who's receiving an $8 million NIL deal. That means there's going to be a ridiculous amount of pressure on the young […]
2023 five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava is the most hyped Tennessee Vols commit in recent memory.
For starters, Iamaleava plays the most important position on the field. Secondly, he's rumored to be the 2023 recruit who's receiving an $8 million NIL deal.
That means there's going to be a ridiculous amount of pressure on the young quarterback to play at a high level at Tennessee.
But that shouldn't be a problem for the nation's No. 3 ranked quarterback.
Iamaleava has all the tools — great arm, accuracy, incredible leader, charisma — to be a dominant quarterback in the SEC.
He also has the right mindset to be successful. According to his father Nicholaus, he's a team-first guy that never feels like he's bigger than the program.
“Nico’s grounded," said Nicholaus to The Athletic recently. "Our Polynesian background and culture — we don’t allow nobody to be bigger than the program. Nico knows his role. He’s still a kid. He still takes out the trash, mows the lawn, has chores at home. It doesn’t matter if you are committed to Tennessee or in the league, you still have yours to do.”
That type of mindset is going to equal major success at Tennessee.
It would be easy for Iamaleava to have a big ego when he arrives on campus in Knoxville early next year. But that won't be the case thanks to his upbringing.
Even if Iamaleava is the $8 million man, he's still going to approach the game of football and his role as a teammate the same way he always has — with humility.
The Vols got a good one in Nico. He's the quarterback this program needs at exactly the right time.
I don't know if Nico will bring a championship to Tennessee — that's impossible to know at this point. But he's certainly going to be an important part of the Vols' attempted return to glory.
Featured image via Twitter
