When Nico Iamaleava packed up and waved goodbye to Knoxville, he didn’t just leave Tennessee’s NIL money on the table—he sent shockwaves all the way to Westwood. He bounced from the Vols and their $2.4 million offer, looking for a fresh scene—and probably a bigger payday—at UCLA. Turns out that bigger payday didn’t happen, though. But behind the scenes, the signs had been bubbling for a while.

Just before the transfer portal slammed shut on Dec. 28, Iamaleava’s camp—led by his dad, Nic—reportedly pushed Tennessee’s NIL collective for a $4 million raise for 2025. That would have put Nico on par with big names like Darian Mensah and Carson Beck. But despite the buzz, sources close to him denied that the $4M demand was ever real. Still, the damage was done. After the Vols’ crushing CFP loss to Ohio State, Nico took what he called a “mental break,” cutting off communication with coaches. Whispers about a transfer began swirling fast, with schools like Oregon and Miami entering the rumor mill. Josh Heupel tried to hold the line, but no new deal was made—and after skipping practice on April 11, Nico officially entered the portal.

Fast forward: Nico’s move to UCLA didn’t just add a shiny new name to the Bruins’ roster—it dropped a double hammer on head coach DeShaun Foster.

The first blow? The locker room vibe took an immediate hit. On April 26, On3’s Nick Schultz reported that UCLA QB Dermaricus Davis was entering the NCAA transfer portal. Davis, who redshirted last season and had four years of eligibility left, was a highly touted recruit—a former four-star from Upland, California, ranked No. 221 nationally in the 2024 class by On3. He arrived at UCLA with high hopes, but Nico’s arrival shifted the whole landscape.

With Nico’s 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just five interceptions at Tennessee last season, the writing was on the wall. Davis saw his path to the field disappearing and made the logical call to seek a fresh start somewhere he could actually get snaps. But that wasn’t the end of it.

Second blow? Robert McDaniel, another QB in the room, soon hit the portal too. Just like that, UCLA’s depth chart started thinning out. Nico’s arrival wasn’t just a ripple—it was a tsunami. And oh, it gets even messier.

Nico Iamaleava’s move sets off a QB Domino

Joey Aguilar, the veteran QB transfer from App State, who many thought would lead the Bruins this year, also jumped ship. Aguilar had only committed in December, with hopes of claiming the starting gig. But when Nico Iamaleava signed the dotted line, Aguilar could see the flashing neon signs: Not Your Team Anymore. He didn’t waste time—Aguilar entered the portal and packed his bags before ever even suiting up in a game.

Meanwhile, the Iamaleava wave didn’t just crash with Nico. His younger brother Madden, originally an Arkansas signee for the 2025 class, also jumped into the portal and is headed to join big bro at UCLA. So yeah, Westwood’s QB room isn’t just adjusting to a new guy—they’re adjusting to a whole new family empire. Now, even with all the chaos, DeShaun Foster isn’t exactly handing Nico the keys to the kingdom—at least, not yet.

When buzz first started about Nico heading to UCLA, Foster was pretty open about his plans. He praised Joey Aguilar’s spring performance, stressing leadership and daily improvement. “We talked to Joey, you know, just like every other quarterback that’s in that room, and discuss what’s going on or what’s not going on, and how he’s practicing and everything,” Foster said. He added, “So I like where Joey’s at right now, and hopefully he can keep progressing as spring goes. … Each day he’s getting better, you know, inserting his leadership on the team.” At that moment, it wasn’t a done deal. Aguilar still had a fighting shot to win the job.

But here’s the kicker: academically, Nico still has some hoops to jump through. DeShaun Foster noted that Nico must “finish first at Tennessee” before officially joining the Bruins this summer. UCLA’s on a quarter system, meaning final exams run from June 9–13. No final grades, no eligibility. Same situation for Aguilar.

Well, just one day after Nico’s UCLA move went public, Joey Aguilar hit the transfer portal—and made a jaw-dropping decision. Aguilar committed to Tennessee. That’s right—the very program Nico left behind is now betting its playoff dreams on the guy who couldn’t even find a seat in UCLA’s reshuffled QB room.

In today’s college football, million-dollar quarterbacks are flipping teams like NFL free agents. And in Westwood, DeShaun Foster has no choice but to rebuild chemistry in a locker room that’s been flipped upside down practically overnight. The only question left? Is Nico Iamaleava truly ready to be the face of UCLA—or will the locker room fallout cost them bigger down the road?