BREAKING: Former Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava Announces Commitment to UCLA in Stunning Transfer Move

BREAKING: Former Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava Announces Commitment to UCLA in Stunning Transfer Move

 

By Philip Daniel

April 20, 2025

 

LOS ANGELES — In one of the most dramatic turns of the 2025 college football offseason, former Tennessee quarterback and 2024 Citrus Bowl MVP Nico Iamaleava has announced he will transfer to UCLA, a decision that not only reshapes the Bruins’ quarterback room but also sends shockwaves across the college football landscape.

The former five-star recruit and once-face of the Volunteers’ future officially revealed his commitment via a heartfelt Instagram post early Saturday morning. The announcement ends weeks of intense speculation and brings Iamaleava back home to Southern California, where his football journey first began.

 

> “It wasn’t an easy decision,” Iamaleava wrote. “I’ll always be thankful for my time at Tennessee — the fans, my brothers, and everything I learned in Knoxville. But I’ve prayed on this, talked to my family, and I know this is the right move. I’m coming home. Let’s work, Westwood.”

 

 

 

FROM ROCKY TOP TO WESTWOOD: A SUDDEN FALLING OUT

 

Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee was abrupt and, to some, shocking. After redshirting in 2023 and leading the Vols to a resounding Citrus Bowl win in 2024 — where he threw for four touchdowns and was named MVP — the rising star was expected to be the program’s cornerstone heading into the 2025 season.

 

But beneath the surface, tensions were mounting.

 

Multiple sources close to the Tennessee program have confirmed that Iamaleava’s exit stemmed from a breakdown in negotiations surrounding his Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal. Initially signed to a reported $2.4 million annual deal with Tennessee’s NIL collective, Iamaleava’s representatives were seeking a significant raise after his bowl performance — allegedly as high as $4 million per year.

 

Tennessee was unwilling to meet those demands, leading to a rift between Iamaleava, his camp, and head coach Josh Heupel. Matters came to a head on April 11 when Iamaleava was a no-show for practice and team meetings, reportedly without notifying staff.

 

By the next day, Tennessee had moved on. Coach Heupel addressed the media briefly.

 

> “We thank Nico for what he’s done here, and we wish him the best in his next chapter. We’re focused on the players who are committed to being part of this team.”

 

 

For a fanbase that believed it had found its next superstar, the loss was a gut punch.

 

RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS

 

The decision to transfer to UCLA brings Iamaleava back to the West Coast, where he starred at Long Beach Poly High School and was ranked as one of the nation’s top quarterback recruits in the 2023 cycle.

 

Sources say Iamaleava had multiple suitors in the portal — including Miami, Oregon, and even Ohio State — but ultimately chose UCLA for a variety of reasons: proximity to family, the chance to start immediately, and a budding program entering a new era under recently appointed head coach DeShaun Foster.

 

One key factor in the decision: Madden Iamaleava, Nico’s younger brother, is already committed to play for UCLA in the class of 2026.

 

> “Getting to play close to my little bro, getting to help build something new — that matters to me,” Iamaleava said in a follow-up video post. “And Coach Foster’s energy, man… he’s real. I believe in what they’re doing out here.”

 

 

 

UCLA’S NEW ERA BEGINS

 

The Bruins are undergoing their own transformation. With longtime head coach Chip Kelly now serving as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, UCLA hired former standout running back and fan-favorite DeShaun Foster to lead the program into the Big Ten. It’s a tall task, and adding Iamaleava gives them instant credibility — and firepower.

 

Iamaleava joins a quarterback room that includes Ethan Garbers, who started 11 games in 2024, and transfer Joey Aguilar from Appalachian State. While both quarterbacks bring experience, Iamaleava is widely expected to take over as the starter by fall camp.

 

> “We’re building something real here,” Coach Foster said in a statement. “Nico is an elite talent, no question. But more than that, he’s a competitor who wants to lead and win. He’s going to fit in just fine in Westwood.”

 

 

 

NIL, TRANSFER PORTAL, AND THE MODERN ERA

 

Iamaleava’s transfer is already being called a watershed moment in college football’s NIL era. While transfers are not uncommon, the high-profile nature of this move — tied directly to NIL negotiations — has ignited national debate about the evolving power dynamics between players, schools, and collectives.

 

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum commented, “This is what college football looks like now. Quarterbacks are CEOs. Programs are startups. And NIL deals are the currency. Tennessee lost their QB over business, and UCLA just made the steal of the offseason.”

 

Some critics argue Iamaleava’s move was driven purely by money. Others, especially those close to the program, say he was well within his rights to seek fair market value.

 

A source in the Iamaleava camp defended the quarterback: “Nico gave Tennessee everything. He delivered on the field. All he asked was to be valued accordingly. When that didn’t happen, he had to make a tough call.”

 

TENNESSEE MOVES ON

 

For Tennessee, the focus now shifts to the future. Redshirt sophomore Jake Merklinger is expected to take over as the Vols’ new QB1, though incoming freshman George MacIntyre, a top-10 national recruit, may also compete.

 

Vols fans, meanwhile, are processing the departure with a mix of frustration and heartbreak.

 

> “This stings,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter). “But we’ve got to roll on. Heupel’s offense isn’t going anywhere. It’s just next man up.”

 

 

 

Still, the sense of “what could’ve been” lingers. Iamaleava was seen as the player who could return Tennessee to national title contention.

 

LOOKING AHEAD

 

For Nico Iamaleava, the move to UCLA represents both a homecoming and a new challenge. The Bruins will face a daunting Big Ten slate in 2025, with road trips to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Oregon, but now they’ll do so with a five-star talent under center.

 

It’s a massive bet by both Iamaleava and the Bruins — one that could reshape the power balance on the West Coast and change how NIL-driven transfers are viewed.

 

As college football hurtles into a future defined by movement, money, and momentum, Nico Iamaleava’s move to UCLA may one day be seen as a defining moment of the era.