The quarterbacks have been the talk of the town for the better part of 2024 and 2025. While Sherrone Moore rose to the limelight for hunting down the No.1 quarterback, Bryce Underwood, former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava went viral for the NIL hoopla. Even though Iamaleava did not get what he had been looking for (a $4 million check), he found a new home with the UCLA Bruins. Now that this marks his last season in college, it’s obvious that Iamaleava will find himself in the 2026 NFL Draft talks. That’s when a college football analyst shared his take on how the quarterback’s latest move will have an impact on his NFL breakthrough.   

Well, not a nice way to swap wagons. Iamaleava’s push for the $4 million offer kind of landed him in a dark spot, earning the “greedy” tag. Even though Tennessee had offered him an NIL contract, his push for more led Josh Heupel to pull the brakes. And the result? Iamaleava had to settle for much less, around $1.5 million after stepping into UCLA. But amidst all this, we can’t deny the fact that Iamaleava, who is just 20 years old, is still early in his development as a quarterback. Even though he did not have a huge breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2024, he can still be a potential first-round draft selection in the NFL Draft. So, in Iamaleava’s last year of college, to be in part of the mudslinging is not something that comes off as a loyal move. And in the NFL, loyalty matters a lot. 

On May 26, Adam Breneman came up with an IG post (now removed) discussing how college football’s landscape has changed in the recent past. The post came up with a thumbnail and a first slide where it read, “Did transferring hurt Nico’s NFL chances??” After all, Iamaleava has been the hot topic this transfer season with other college football head coaches like Mario Cristobal using his example to warn his players. So, what did Breneman say? “Programs are hiring NFL executives to run their teams. But not everyone thinks they’ll succeed. Or, as one Big 12 GM recently said, ‘You can scout all you want, but the kid still has to pick your school.’ That means recruiting still matters.” Well, yes, there have been a lot of NFL vets in the college football landscape.

North Carolina GM Michael Lombardi, Nebraska GM Pat Stewart, and Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy, all of them, decided to give college football a try after trying their hands in the NFL. However, it’s unfortunate that their impact of having an NFL experience gets stunted after some point in time. And the question remains whether the NFL model in college is going to work in the end or not. Breneman shared, “They know how to evaluate talent, run a front office, and manage a roster. With rev share coming, that experience matters more than ever. But some college guys aren’t convinced. They say the NFL guys don’t get what really drives recruiting, which is relationships.” No matter whether you are a bad player or a good player, Iamaleava proved that at the end of the day, gaining commitment is the toughest job.

Breneman shared his personal experience. “I was a Power Four college football coach, and I am telling you, it is tough to get a kid to actually commit to your school.” Iamaleava will now have to be particular that he does not undergo Shedeur Sanders’ fate.         

Can Nico Iamaleava avoid the Shedeur Sanders slip? 

The 2024 season showed what cost college football players have to pay if they try to make themselves bigger than the NFL. The Colorado quarterback hailed himself as the top pick. Only to get slides down the draft to the fifth round as the no.144 overall. This season, new UCLA quarterback Iamaleava is in a position to watch what Sanders went through and decide which path he wants to take. Let’s get back to how the 2024 season has been for Iamaleava.

He was the starting quarterback of the Volunteers and in 13 starts led the team to a 10-3 record. Definitely, his racked-up numbers were not gaudy. But we must admit that Iamaleava found ways to win games. In the process, the quarterback earned $1.8 million in NIL earnings. Post which, Iamaleava and his father decided to stage a holdout with Tennessee in hopes of getting a bump to $2.4 million. Now that Iamaleava gets on the UCLA wagon, he now has to decide the path mindfully. 

It’s time for Iamaleava to double down and bet on himself and continue the behavior that got him where he is, putting the greed aside. But even giving his 100%, things might not turn in his favor in 2025. The reason? As Greg McElroy predicted, “It wouldn’t surprise me if this team was a little more competitive than they were just a year ago. The schedule might be more difficult, though, going into this season.” They might win during face-offs against New Mexico and Northwestern. However, games against Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana, and USC are not going to be a walk in the park for UCLA. If Iamaleava wants to shine, he’d better sync up with DeShaun Foster and sketch out their path to victory.