One of the more polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft is quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Opinions on him vary widely, largely due to the offseason mess at Tennessee. Iamaleava held out for more NIL money, leading to a fractured relationship with the program. The Vols cut ties, and he transferred west to UCLA. Despite the drama, he's still viewed as a high-upside prospect entering the 2025 season.
Iamaleava has been on the radar since his days at Long Beach Poly, where he starred in both football and volleyball. He was the nation’s top-rated recruit. As a true freshman, he started just one game—but made it count, dominating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl and earning MVP honors after accounting for four touchdowns.
This past season, Iamaleava put together a strong campaign as a redshirt freshman. He threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, while rushing for 364 more. He also became the first true or redshirt freshman quarterback in Tennessee history to lead the Vols to 10 regular-season wins. Still, not everything was smooth as he completed just 45% of his passes and threw for only 104 yards in a rough showing against Ohio State.
What makes Nico Iamaleava special
What jumps off the tape is his elite athleticism. He’s one of the most mobile QBs in the 2026 class, a legitimate dual-threat who forces defenses to account for him in the run game. He also excels at throwing on the move and extending plays with his legs.
He also possesses elite arm strength. Iamaleava can stretch the field with ease and finished second in the SEC last season in completions of 50+ yards (six). But while the arm talent is real, his downfield accuracy still needs work.
Accuracy overall is his biggest on-field concern. He often throws behind receivers and struggles to throw with touch, trying to fire everything in at 100 mph. This not only leads to missed throws, but also puts unnecessary pressure on his targets to make tough catches.
Off the field, the biggest red flag is his parents. Their reputation for being entitled and overly involved has rubbed people the wrong way. As a teacher and coach, I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to reach a kid whose parents refuse to hold them accountable. NFL teams will want to know that Iamaleava is his own man and not just a product of snowplow parenting.
If he can prove this, I have Iamaleava graded as a second-round pick. The reason for this grade is his overall upside. He offers elite athleticism, top-end arm strength, and the ability to be a multi-dimensional weapon in today’s NFL. While there are concerns with his accuracy and overall touch, most of these issues can be corrected at the next level with improved lower-body mechanics and a better understanding of situational passing.
One team that makes sense for Iamaleava is the Pittsburgh Steelers. New quarterback Aaron Rodgers likely has one year left, maybe two. The current backup is Mason Rudolph, and Will Howard—this year’s sixth-round pick—wasn’t even draftable on my board. Pittsburgh probably won’t be drafting in the top ten with Rodgers under center, which limits their access to elite QB prospects next year. Iamaleava could be a high-upside swing with long-term payoff.