After throwing away his more than $2 million per year NIL deal in hopes of more money, Nico Iamaleava is reportedly receiving far less money than he sought in his transfer to UCLA.
Not only did he not come even close to the $4 million mark that he wanted in his pay raise, but he’s actually taken a decline in pay with his UCLA deal rumored to be in the $1.5 million range, according to Front Office Sports. He’s also left Tennessee and its nonexistent income tax for California, which boasts the highest in the country.
There seems to have been no winners at the end of this saga.
The quarterback didn’t get the money he wanted, the Volunteers now have to find a new starter on much shorter notice than any team would ever like to do so and UCLA is paying big bucks for a quarterback who’s now proven to be at least a bit problematic.
The drama began nearly two weeks ago when Iamaleava was reported to have been looking to restructure his NIL deal with Tennessee’s collective, seeking a number in the $4 million per year range. Iamaleava had been signed to a four-year, $8 million contract.
Before it became official, Iamaleava to UCLA was rumored to be a done deal despite the Bruins’ NIL offerings not even being “remotely close” to what Iamaleava sought.
Iamaleava then missed Tennessee’s final practice before the Vols’ annual spring game the next morning. Before the game, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel informed the program that it’d be moving forward without Iamaleava.
Iamaleava quarterbacked Tennessee to a College Football Playoff appearance last season in the then-redshirt freshman’s first stint as a full-time starter. He threw 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, playing a more pedestrian role as a young quarterback managing an offense with a potent run game.
Iamaleava will now join the Bruins, who went 5-7 under first-year head coach DeShaun Foster in their inaugural season in the Big Ten.
UCLA started last season at 1-5 before finishing 4-2 in the second half of their schedule, tallying three wins and six losses in Big Ten play.
Iamaleava is a former five-star recruit and should instantly elevate the Bruins’ offense.
Hailing from Long Beach, Calif., Iamaleava not only has ties with UCLA from his Southern California roots, but his brother, Madden, was committed to the Bruins in high school before flipping to Arkansas on signing day.