Nico Iamaleava QB Tennessee | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Nico Iamaleava QB Tennessee
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/10/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.5 DOB: 09/02/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 02/10/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | |
| Age: 20.5 DOB: 09/02/2004 | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 90.9 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
|
77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
|
84% |
| Short Passing: |
|
81% |
| Medium Passing: |
|
94% |
| Long Passing: |
|
100% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
|
60% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Top 10
Overall Rank:
#6
Position rank:
#2
|
||
| College Games: 18 College Snaps: 963 | ||
ESPN RATING: 89/100
|
||
247 RATING: 100/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
|
||
Draft Profile: Bio
From the moment he stepped onto Tennessee's campus as the nation's top-ranked recruit, Nico Iamaleava carried the weight of massive expectations. The Long Beach native brought a unique athletic pedigree to Knoxville, having excelled as an elite volleyball player before focusing on football at Warren High School. His senior year produced fireworks - 1,726 passing yards and 25 touchdowns through the air, plus another 399 yards and 6 scores on the ground. That earned him Polynesian High School Player of the Year honors and set the stage for his arrival in SEC country.After a redshirt season learning behind Joe Milton III, Iamaleava announced his presence with authority in the 2024 Citrus Bowl. The freshman carved up Iowa's vaunted defense in a 35-0 shellacking, becoming the first Tennessee freshman QB to win a bowl game since some guy named Peyton Manning did it in '94. That was just an appetizer for what was to come in 2024, as Iamaleava led the Vols to their first College Football Playoff appearance while throwing for 2,616 yards and 19 TDs against just 5 picks. His true coming out party came in the season opener against Chattanooga, where he shattered Tyler Bray's school record with 314 first-half passing yards.
The records and accolades kept piling up from there. By season's end, Iamaleava had become the first freshman QB in Tennessee history to guide the program to 10 regular season wins. He showed particular flair in rivalry games, outdueling Alabama with clutch throws and torching Vanderbilt for 257 yards and 4 TDs. His combination of arm talent and athleticism (358 rushing yards) gave Josh Heupel's offense a different dimension, helping Tennessee establish itself as a legitimate SEC contender.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite arm talent jumps off the tape - generates tremendous velocity with minimal effort and can make every throw in the playbook with plus zip and tight spiral
- Exceptional mobility for his size allows him to extend plays and punish defenses that don't account for his legs - moves like a much smaller player in space
- Lightning-quick release that borders on special - can get the ball out in a blink when he sees it, which meshes perfectly with RPO concepts
- Natural field vision at 6'6" lets him scan from the pocket without having to adjust his positioning, rarely gets passes batted at the line
- Shows impressive composure in crucial moments - never seemed rattled by the bright lights of SEC play or the playoff stage
- Generates serious torque from different arm angles, allowing him to deliver strikes while on the move or with defenders in his face
- Processing speed continues to improve - started recognizing and exploiting defensive tendencies more consistently as the season progressed
- Elite athletic bloodlines and multi-sport background (volleyball) have clearly enhanced his spatial awareness and ability to improvise
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Frame needs significant development - currently carrying just 215 pounds on his 6'6" frame which could lead to durability concerns at the next level
- Can get overaggressive pushing the ball downfield, needs to take more checkdowns when the deep shot isn't there
- Footwork becomes inconsistent under pressure, particularly when forced to his left - leads to some errant throws that could be costly in the NFL
- Still learning to manipulate defenders with his eyes - telegraphs intentions at times and needs to develop more subtle deception skills
- Limited sample size with just one full season as starter - while the flashes are incredible, evaluators would prefer more game tape to study
Scouting Report: Summary
The NFL comparison that keeps coming to mind when studying Iamaleava is Justin Herbert - another tall, athletic QB who can make jaw-dropping throws look routine. Like Herbert coming out of Oregon, Iamaleava has shown enough pure talent to make scouts drool while still having room to grow in terms of consistency and decision-making. His ability to stress defenses both vertically and horizontally gives him scheme versatility that will appeal to creative offensive minds.Any team running a modern spread system that emphasizes RPOs and designed QB runs should have Iamaleava high on their draft board. His quick release and processing speed would be lethal in an offense that creates easy reads and lets him use his athleticism as a weapon. While he'll need time to add bulk and refine his mechanics, the ceiling here is through the roof. We're talking about a potential franchise cornerstone who could terrorize defenses for the next decade plus if developed properly.
The minimal starting experience and lean frame are legitimate concerns that will need to be addressed. But quarterbacks with Iamaleava's combination of size, arm talent, and mobility simply don't come around often. Expect him to be a hot commodity early in the first round, particularly for teams with established veteran QBs who can give him a year to develop physically while learning the nuances of NFL offenses. The tools are all there for him to become a special player at the next level.
How other scouting services rate Nico Iamaleava (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
6.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
2.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.