Volunteer Country

Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava Ranked Among Top-10 QBs in Latest Poll

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images / Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are entering year two of the Nico Iamaleava experience in Knoxville, and headed into 2025, Iamaleava has been ranked among the Top-10 QBs in 2025.

The Tennessee Volunteers made waves in the 2023 signing class when the nation's No. 2 overall player in the class, California QB, Nico Iamaleava signed with the Vols. The Nation's No. 2 signall caller behind only Arch Manning, Nico is the highest rated QB the Vols have signed since Peyton Manning.

Now, entering the 2025 season, the Vols have just completed year one with Iamaleava as a starter. The now redshirt sophomore led the Vols to their first College Football Playoff in 2025 and has been ranked among the top-10 QBs entering 2025, according to On SI's Director of Recruiting, Brooks Austin.

Top-10 CFB QBs Entering 2025 Season

  1. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
  2. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
  3. Arch Manning, Texas
  4. DJ Lagway, Florida
  5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
  6. John Mateer, Oklahoma
  7. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
  8. Carson Beck, Miami
  9. Darian Mensah, Duke
  10. Kevin Jennings, SMU

Here's what Austin had to say about Iamaleava:
"I think the overall size and athletecism Iamaleava posseses is not properly displayed on TV copies. In person, this is one of the biggest and most athletic QBs the SEC provides. He's an immensely talented thrower of the football, but the instincts as a ball carrier are what impressed me most in year one as a starter. He developed some bad habits early on in the season, playing behind an offensive line that couldn't protect him. Those habits were only magnified as his wide receiver corps from a year ago just couldn't stay healthy. Entering year two of his starting career, I expect to see growth in the fundamentals of the position. He's going to have to develop as a pocket passer, tying his feet to his eyes in his progression, that will allow him to be more accurate on deep passes — something he struggled with in year one."

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