Nico Iamaleava An Early Heisman Contender

The hype continues to grow for Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The 2023 signee accounted for four touchdowns in his first career start against Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, leading the Vols past a top-5 college football defense for a resounding win.

Iamaleava is the highest-rated quarterback that Tennessee has signed in modern recruiting history, so the hype was already building, but 2024 expectations are quite high after his opening act. Head coach Josh Heupel is excited about the possibilities of Iamaleava in his fast-paced offense, and the national media seems to agree.

Fan Duel: Early 2024 Heisman Trophy Odds

Quinn Ewers, Texas QB: +750
Carson Beck, Georgia QB: +750
Jalen Milroe, Alabama QB: +750
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon QB: +1000
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee QB: +1800
Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma QB: +1800
Conner Weigman, Texas A&M QB: +1800
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan QB: +1800
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU QB: +2000
Jaxon Dart, Ole Miss QB: +2000

Eight of the top ten candidates on Fan Duel are SEC quarterbacks, as the conference is loaded with premier talent at the position. Iamaleava is supremely gifted and is arguably the most physically gifted of any quarterback in the country. He's 6-6 with a long frame and plus-upside when he decides to tuck and run. Iamaleava layers the football well and puts a tremendous amount of zip behind his passes in the intermediate game. The Vols have stacked the wide receiver room to ensure he has the necessary targets to achieve his goals.

You Might Also Like:

Join the community:

Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell
Follow Caleb Sisk on Twitter: @CalebSisk_

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @VolunteerCountry & follow us on Twitter at @VCountryFN.