Hold on tight, folks; it looks like another brother duo is in the making in college football. Big bro Nico Iamaleava had already gotten enough fame in college. Now it’s time for his lil bro, Madden, to follow in his footsteps. Even though it might be obvious for him to land with Josh Heupel’s army, Madden has already dropped some big hints. To pop your bubble, it’s surely not the Vols for him but the UCLA Bruins. But no matter what jersey he dons, he is always going to root for his big bro, Nico!  

Talent runs deep in the Iamaleava fam. While Tennessee QB Nico turned heads by earning the SEC’s Freshman of the Week after making his school proud in the Neyland Stadium debut against Chattanooga, his younger brother Madden too is gaining the spotlight little by little. Maybe that’s how contagious success is! Ranked at No. 83 among 2025 recruits and gaining the No.7 spot among prospects from California, he has already made himself stand out with his stats. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound athlete in his first season as a starter at Warren High School in Downey passed for 3,626 yards, 43 touchdowns, and four interceptions. On November 24, Madden thought of nudging his fans a bit by dropping an IG story.

In the picture, Nico’s brother was spotted posing with UCLA Bruins, HC DeShaun Foster’s wife, Charity Foster. While UCLA’s first lady looked gorgeous carrying off an all-black ensemble, Madden kept it chic with a casual leather jacket, paired with denims and sneakers. The young player had caught Foster’s attention since the time he backed up Nico in 2022. While programs like the Oregon Ducks had offered him a scholarship and the Nebraska Cornhuskers had shown interest in him, he had given his words to Foster back in May.

Now that six months have passed, fans might be thinking that the young chap might have changed his mind. But seeing his latest IG story, they can get clarity on the high chances of a Madden x UCLA collab. However, the path ahead is going to be rough. 

Madden Iamaleava’s athletic dreams interrupted

Last month, in October, Nico’s brother faced a huge blow. Things were going all good during his in-season transfer from Warren. Suddenly, the UCLA football commit had been denied eligibility at Long Beach Poly by the CIF Southern Section. The statement issued by the CIF-SS website as of October 4, stated that Madden, who is a senior, has been denied eligibility in any CIF high school until October 1, 2026. But what’s the issue all about?

As per the norms, CIF does not allow athletes to participate immediately with their new school if they deem a transfer to be “athletically motivated.” If the reason behind the transfers is a change of residence or moving schools for better academic opportunities, they are good to go. Maybe that’s too unfair for a young chap who holds so much talent. After all, Madden was named an All-CIF quarterback as a junior. But it looks like he is not quite bothered about the trouble that looms around the corner and is busy rooting for his brother.

On November 23, Tennessee led the UTEP Miners to pack their bags and go home without scoring a SINGLE point. The star of the evening behind the Vols 56-0 iconic feat definitely had to be Nico Iamaleava. The QB delivered four touchdowns and 209 passing yards, his absolute best in his career. That’s when Madden Iamaleava could not stop himself from hyping up his brother as he posted an IG story with a celebratory “Yea” with the iconic 8-ball energy as Nico dons the No.8 jersey. That’s how both the brothers bring the heat!   

Besides high school football, if you want to get some interesting updates on the NFL, check out the latest episode of the Think Tank podcast.