2026 QB Spotlight: Nico Iamaleava

Kevin looks at a potential 2026 QB draft riser, UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava

Nico Iamaleava might’ve had the wildest offseason of any quarterback in the country. Just a few months before shocking the college football world and transferring from Tennessee to UCLA, the writing was already on the wall. Back in late December, with the portal window closing fast, Iamaleava’s camp, led by his father, was already circling back to Tennessee’s NIL collective in an effort to renegotiate his deal. They were reportedly asking for around $4 million for the 2025 season, which would’ve put him in the same ballpark as other high-profile transfers like Carson Beck and Darian Mensah. At the time, he was set to make around $2.4 million.

After Tennessee’s blowout loss to Ohio State in the CFP, Nico needed time to regroup. He didn’t immediately hit the portal, but the conversations had already started. Less than two weeks later, he was a Bruin. Word is, UCLA didn’t outbid Tennessee; he took slightly less, but the fresh start was clearly more important than the paycheck. In a wild twist, UCLA’s projected starter Joey Aguilar ended up flipping the other direction and landed at Tennessee, making the situation feel more like a quarterback trade than a standard portal move.

It was a chaotic turn of events that perfectly sums up the modern state of college football—where multi-million-dollar quarterbacks move like free agents and programs are reshuffling their rosters every offseason.

As for Nico on the field, it was a mixed bag. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, which doesn’t sound bad at first glance. But in SEC play and the playoff matchup against Ohio State, he topped 200 yards only twice. Tennessee still made their first-ever CFP appearance with him under center, but Nico never truly hit that breakout gear many expected in his redshirt freshman season.

That said, he’s still just 20 years old and loaded with tools. At 6’6”, 215 pounds, he’s a lanky, fluid passer with the kind of arm talent that will always keep NFL scouts intrigued. The big issue? Touch and accuracy on deeper throws. He missed too many shots downfield and looked uncomfortable at times operating outside of Tennessee’s tempo-heavy, quick-strike offense.

Now he heads to UCLA, where a new coaching staff and a more pro-style scheme await. The Bruins finished 5-7 in their first season in the Big Ten, but there were signs of life late in the year. With DeShaun Foster now leading the charge and Nico locked in as QB1, this fall could be a breakout moment if everything clicks.

Now that the Tennessee drama is behind him, it’s time to look ahead—can Nico take the next step and become a legitimate sleeper first-round NFL Draft prospect?

Come check out all our 2026 QB Spotlights below!

Coaching and Scheme

The biggest storyline for UCLA outside of Nico’s transfer is the arrival of Tino Sunseri as offensive coordinator and QB coach. Head coach DeShaun Foster made it official this offseason, bringing in Sunseri after a standout run at Indiana—and it’s a move that should directly benefit Nico.

Sunseri is a former QB himself, and his coaching résumé is loaded with strong quarterback development. At Indiana, he helped orchestrate one of the biggest offensive turnarounds in the country. The Hoosiers went from averaging just over 300 yards a game to nearly 430, while ranking second in the nation in scoring at 43.3 PPG. Most of that was thanks to efficient QB play. Kurtis Rourke completed 70% of his passes for 2,800+ yards and 27 touchdowns with just four picks.

And that wasn’t a one-year wonder. Back when he was at James Madison, Sunseri helped elevate multiple quarterbacks. Cole Johnson broke school records in 2021. Then Todd Centeio followed it up with a Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year season. In 2023, Jordan McCloud took the torch and finished top 10 nationally in passing touchdowns, efficiency, and total offense. It’s a legit track record.

Sunseri also worked with the quarterbacks at Alabama under Nick Saban, helping develop Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones during their elite runs. While this will be his first full OC gig, he reportedly called a lot of the passing game last season and has been heavily involved in offensive planning for years.

What does that mean for UCLA in 2025? Expect a more efficient, motion-heavy passing attack with lots of pre- and post-snap movement to scheme open throws, especially underneath and in the intermediate areas. At Indiana, they focused on making defenses defend the entire field, horizontally and vertically. That kind of system could really help Nico, who still needs to improve his deep ball touch and rhythm timing. A more structured scheme with defined reads could be exactly what he needs to take a step forward.

Head coach DeShaun Foster, meanwhile, is entering his second season and has quickly built trust with the locker room. He’s a former UCLA standout and longtime RB coach who brings a player-first energy. Last year, in their first Big Ten run, UCLA closed strong, winning four of their last six games and picking up road wins over Rutgers and Nebraska. Foster is clearly building something here, and now with Sunseri on board, this offense finally feels like it has direction.

All signs point to UCLA opening things up in 2025, with Nico Iamaleava front and center.

2025 Offensive Outlook

UCLA’s offense is in transition heading into 2025, but some intriguing pieces are forming around Nico Iamaleava, especially in the backfield.

The Bruins made a late spring addition by bringing in Cal transfer Jaivian Thomas, who rushed for 626 yards and 7 scores last season. He joins a running back room that’s still searching for a lead guy after T.J. Harden transferred to SMU. Thomas will compete with winter portal pickup Anthony Woods, who had an impressive run at Idaho State with 2,000+ yards and 19 touchdowns across two seasons, but missed all of 2024 with a knee injury. There’s talent, but also question marks, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we saw a true rotation early on.

Veteran backs Jalen Berger and Keegan Jones return with experience, while incoming freshman Karson Cox is a name I’m keeping tabs on. He has the juice to carve out a role, especially with no established alpha in the room. Former RB coach turned head coach DeShaun Foster has options, but the run game has to improve. UCLA finished dead last in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game last season.

At wide receiver, the room’s been overhauled following key losses like J.Michael Sturdivant and Logan Loya. There’s no clear WR1, but there are flashes of potential. Kam Brown returns and could take a big step. He caught 31 balls for 345 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 and has the skill set to emerge as Nico’s go-to option.

The slot will be handled by Cal transfer Mikey Matthews, a twitchy separator who should thrive in short-area situations and keep the chains moving. On the outside, Arkansas transfer Jaedon Wilson (6’3”) brings SEC pedigree and a physical frame, while 6’4” redshirt senior Ezavier Staples adds experience. Depth-wise, they’ve got bodies: Rico Flores Jr., Grant Grey, Carter Shaw, and Russel Weir round out the group.

There’s size and upside, but not a lot of proven production. It’s a room in flux, and one that will need Iamaleava to elevate them, because no one here has shown they can carry the load.

At tight end, UCLA is hoping veteran Hudson Habermehl can return to form after missing 2024 with a torn ACL. At 6’7”, 250 pounds, he offers a massive target with red-zone ability—five of his 24 career catches have gone for touchdowns. Former Pitt TE Jake Renda was also added via the portal, giving the Bruins much-needed depth after Moliki Matavao, last year’s team leader in catches and yards, left for the NFL.

Jack Pederson is the only returner with real reps. He hauled in 12 catches for 126 yards and a score across eight games last season. He may open as the starter, but if Habermehl or Renda are healthy, that could change quickly. It’s a decent group, but like the rest of this offense, they need to take a step forward.

Overall, UCLA’s offensive weapons aren’t elite but serviceable. The hope is that Sunseri’s scheme, paired with Nico’s natural talent, can raise the floor of this unit. It has to happen fast if they want to survive in the Big Ten.

Projected 2025 Depth Chart (Offense)

• QB1: Nico Iamaleava

• RB1: Jalen Berger

• WR1: Mikey Matthews

• WR2: Kwazi Gilmer

• WR3: Titus Mokiao-Atimalala

• WR4: Jaedon Wilson

• TE1: Hudson Habermehl

Scouting Report

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