Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava is headed to the transfer portal; what will his market be?

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When the transfer portal reopens Wednesday for undergraduates, it likely will have one of the most talked about names in college football in it: Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

The rising sophomore, who submitted paperwork to enter the portal according to two people briefed on the situation after a contract dispute with the Vols, will be the biggest name in what was otherwise expected to be 10 uneventful days. The spring portal window, which ends April 25, was not expected to be filled with fireworks by coaches and front offices around the country, but Iamaleava’s presence changes that.

So what will the market look like for the 6-foot-6, 215-pound quarterback who helped lead Tennessee to the College Football Playoff? It might not be as robust as one would think for someone with Iamaleava’s talent and profile.

The Athletic informally polled a half dozen personnel directors and the head of a name, image and likeness collective at a Power 4 school to find out. All staffers were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor.

“I wouldn’t be paying him more than $1 million to $1.5 million,” the NIL collective head said. “He will probably get $3 million-plus. Tough timing though. Gotta imagine most (schools) have spent their budgets.”

That was a commonly shared sentiment. Although some programs may have uncertain quarterback situations, most have committed to their starter for the 2025 season and allocated money accordingly, making it difficult to pivot now. With the House settlement looming and a $20.5 million cap on revenue that schools can share with athletes, many schools have planned their roster budget with that number in mind.

“Hope it was worth it,” a Group of 5 general manager said. “Would have a tough time imagining someone is going to pay that much to replace the guy they already have slated to start this year.”

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava helped lead the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff in 2024. (Adam Cairns / Imagn Images)

Though some staffers think Iamaleava still could get more than the $2.2 million he was slated to receive from Tennessee this year, approaching the $4 million he reportedly was asking for seems challenging. In 13 games last season, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions while completing 63.8 percent of his pass attempts.

“If you’re a QB away from being a Playoff team, I totally understand getting in the $2 million range,” a Power 4 director of player personnel said. “I think he’ll get in the $3 million range, but anything more is hard. Especially with how nobody knows what’s going on exactly with revenue sharing and how collectives are going to work moving forward.”

Multiple staffers didn’t feel Iamaleava was worth what he was getting at Tennessee.

“(I’d pay him) $500,000 with big incentives,” a second Power 4 personnel director said. “He’ll get more than he deserves.”

A Power 4 general manager said Friday he thought Iamaleava was worth “right around what Tennessee’s paying him, possibly even less, maybe $1.5 million to $2 million. Nico isn’t just amazing. There’s a bunch of quarterbacks that are better than Nico.”

Several staffers expressed surprise at the move because of how quarterback negotiations often are handled. Two Power 4 general managers said most teams try to settle their quarterback contracts in the winter.

“(Contract disputes) happen every year but almost never with quarterbacks,” the first Power 4 GM said. “Once you strike a deal with a quarterback, they’re usually role models and leaders. The quarterback (contracts) are done in December. You don’t do this with your quarterbacks.”

The second Power 4 GM, speaking generally on the spring portal window, said, “You have to have your quarterback in the building for spring practice. The quarterback market post-spring is just not going to be as robust.”

So where could Iamaleava land once he hits the portal? There has been plenty of speculation about UCLA, with the second personnel director guessing that’ll be the destination.

The Bruins haven’t been super aggressive or flashy with NIL funds in the past. There is some familiarity between Iamaleava’s family and UCLA. Madden Iamaleava, Nico’s younger brother and a four-star QB prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle, was committed to the Bruins for six months last year before he flipped and signed with Arkansas during the early signing period. Nico Iamaleava is a Southern California native, which should help the Bruins’ cause.

SEC programs are unlikely to be an option for Iamaleava. Conference bylaws state that to be immediately eligible to play for another SEC team, a transfer must enter the portal during the winter window.

Several programs are set at quarterback, but some teams still have question marks at the position.

North Carolina seems unsettled at quarterback. Max Johnson returns after opening last season as the starter, but he is coming off a significant leg injury. The Tar Heels have Ryan Browne, a transfer from Purdue, and promising four-star true freshman Bryce Baker. Would Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick want to deal with the sort of drama that just unfolded with Iamaleava?

Maryland, Oklahoma State, Syracuse and UCF have brought in transfer quarterbacks this season, but the favorites to win the jobs at each of those programs are relatively inexperienced. It’s also unclear whether they’d be interested in Iamaleava.

It has been a popular exercise for some on social media to connect Iamaleava with USC, given Lincoln Riley’s track record with quarterbacks and the fact projected starter Jayden Maiava is still very much a work in progress. But a source briefed on the matter shot down the thought of USC pursuing Iamaleava when it became more apparent his time with Tennessee was coming to an end Friday.

Good quarterbacks are hard to find, and the spring portal window is when teams typically overpay for players at need positions. But with everything that has transpired around Iamaleava, his value seems to be a moving target.

“It’s going to be a huge concern, especially with how public his salary is going to be,” the first Power 4 personnel director said. “You have to make it be worth it. You have to feel like you’re a QB away and win immediately to make it work.”

(Top photo: Jason Miller /Getty Images)

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