Nico Iamaleava appears set to stay in college football and run it back at UCLA.
According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos on Thursday night, the former Tennessee quarterback “plans” to remain with the Bruins for the 2027 season. He is not expected to enter the NFL Draft.
The move comes after a season that started fast for UCLA and then got derailed by injury. Iamaleava guided the Bruins to a 5-0 start as the starter, piling up 982 passing yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding 144 rushing yards and one score. His year ended after he was injured Oct. 11 against Oregon and later had season-ending left knee surgery.
Before the injury, Iamaleava was viewed as a possible piece of the 2027 NFL Draft quarterback conversation. ESPN’s Jordan Reid had him ranked as the eighth-best quarterback prospect in the class earlier this month and projected him as a Mid-to-late Day 2 selection, which would put him somewhere in the second or third round. That evaluation came before the knee injury.
Reid also offered a detailed scouting view of Iamaleava’s game: “A tall, slender passer, Iamaleava has a towering frame that helps him see and scan defenses,” Reid wrote. “He plays with a balanced base and has advanced mechanics to wind up and find holes against the opposition.
Iamaleava’s mobility is a plus, as he can be an extension of the run game but isn’t used enough in that fashion. His long-striding agility is on display when making throws on the run and escaping pressure in the pocket.
He keeps his eyes downfield when pressured and can make subtle movements to help him steer clear and toss passes on the move.”
Iamaleava’s college path has already taken a sharp turn once. After leaving Tennessee for the transfer portal in the spring window, he spent last season at UCLA and completed 64.4% of his passes for 1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Tennessee, meanwhile, answered by bringing in Bruins quarterback Joey Aguilar. Aguilar then threw for 3,565 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the Vols.
Before that, Iamaleava was Tennessee’s full-time starter during the 2024 College Football Playoff run. He passed for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions that season, when the offense had its struggles but running back Dylan Sampson broke out and the defense ranked among the best in the country.
Iamaleava arrived at Tennessee as a five-star freshman in 2023. He backed up Joe Milton III through the regular season before making his first career start in a 35-0 Citrus Bowl win over Iowa.
With one season of collegiate eligibility left, it now looks like Iamaleava will use it at UCLA.
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