Nico Iamaleava QB UCLA | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Nico Iamaleava QB UCLA
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/06/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.8 DOB: 09/02/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 05/06/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | |
| Age: 20.8 DOB: 09/02/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 87.6 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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76% |
| Short Passing: |
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73% |
| Medium Passing: |
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85% |
| Long Passing: |
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91% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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54% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Mid
Overall Rank:
#20
Position rank:
#6
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| College Games: 18 College Snaps: 963 | ||
ESPN RATING: 89/100
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247 RATING: 100/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tanner McKee - Stanford |
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76% |
| Kurtis Rourke - Indiana |
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66% |
| Kenny Pickett - Pittsburgh |
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66% |
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 Tennessee QB in program history to guide the team 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. However, following the Vols' 42-17 loss to eventual national champion Ohio State in the CFP first round, tensions began brewing behind the scenes regarding NIL compensation and roster support, culminating in Iamaleava's shocking departure for UCLA midway through spring practice 2025. His younger brother Madden, a four-star recruit, followed suit from Arkansas as part of a package deal.
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 on paper - another tall, athletic California QB who can make jaw-dropping throws look routine. While Herbert had more college experience, Iamaleava possesses similar traits that will make scouts daydream about potential. His ability to stress defenses both vertically and horizontally gives him scheme versatility that appeals to creative offensive minds, though the recent transfer situation raises red flags about maturity and decision-making that evaluators will need to reconcile.The California homecoming to UCLA presents both opportunity and risk for Iamaleava's draft stock. On one hand, returning to familiar ground in DeShaun Foster's spread system could allow him to refine his mechanics and processing while putting up gaudy numbers against West Coast competition. On the other hand, switching systems mid-career and dealing with the professional concerns surrounding NIL negotiations could spook some front offices about his character and commitment level. Teams will dig deep into the Tennessee situation, but ultimately talent usually trumps off-field noise in the quarterback evaluation game.
The minimal starting experience and lean frame remain legitimate concerns that need addressing, but quarterbacks with Iamaleava's combination of size, arm talent, and mobility simply don't emerge often from California. Expect him to be a polarizing prospect throughout the 2025 season - some teams will love the pure skill set while others worry about the maturity questions. If he can stay healthy and productive at UCLA while showing growth both on and off the field, he'll still generate first-round interest from QB-needy franchises. The tools are all there for him to become a special player at the next level, provided he can handle the mental demands of professional football better than he handled the college NIL landscape.
How other scouting services rate Nico Iamaleava (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
45.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
7.0
*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.