Analysts Weigh Iamaleava's QB Tier Ranking

Why did these CFB insiders rank UCLA's quarterback where they did?

Nov 25, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) warms up before the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Antonio Morales and Sam Khan Jr. for The Athletic included UCLA Bruins transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava in their recent quarterback tier rankings.

Iamaleava is one of the largest topics of conversation in college football ahead of his redshirt sophomore season with UCLA. After a stellar redshirt freshman season with the Tennessee Volunteers that led them to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance, he entered the transfer portal after a NIL dispute that was largely publicized and turned him into one of the most polarizing figures in college football.

His polarization might have figured into Morales and Khan's rankings, as they listed him as the 19th signal-caller in the nation. Not bad for a Bruins quarterback, but they also considered how he'd be playing around less talent than he did in Tennessee.

Here's what they had to say about Iamaleava and how he factored into their rankings.

"This was a tough one for me. Iamaleava was the starting quarterback for a Playoff team last season at Tennessee, but he will be surrounded by a worse supporting cast this season at UCLA, so even if he does improve, he’ll still have a tough road ahead. And it’ll be easy to question his decision making after all the NIL holdout drama surrounding his departure from Knoxville this spring. Do you think he should’ve been lower or higher than 19?" -- Morales

"I struggled with this, too, and was tempted to move him lower. Iamaleava is immensely talented (quick release, strong arm, great size). But the Vols’ great running game and defense carried the heaviest load last fall. Coaches we spoke with offered a lot of skepticism about Iamaleava, and I have to imagine some of that is because of his failed contract renegotiation and the firestorm that followed. 'If he can put it all together, he ain’t far away from being elite,' one coach who faced him told me. 'He’s got all the tools and talent, but I was a little underwhelmed when I saw him live.'" -- Khan

it's not just Iamaleava that has something to prove out of Westwood next season. DeShaun Foster has cultivated a complete culture turnaround following a 5-7 inaugural season in the Big Ten. Behind a star-studded transfer portal highlighted by Iamaleava, the Bruins are primed to at least make a bowl game.

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