New UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava Shows NFL Potential

Things did not go as planned for Tennessee transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava before he landed at UCLA.

Iamaleava was seeking more NIL money at Tennessee, and it blew up in his face.

It was the first time I’ve seen something like this happen.

Okay ⎯

He’s money motivated.

Noted.

But that’s just one piece to his puzzle.

There are many other pieces to consider.

That starts by looking at his game film and how that translates to the next level.

NFL traits

• Athletic

• Good arm

• Aggressive downfield thrower

• The ability to go through his progressions

• Mobility

• Toughness

These are all consistent traits that Iamaleava showed on film in 2024 that translate well to the NFL, especially the ability to go through his progressions. This can be seen on film by watching his head and body moving around, surveying targets, before he throws.

The ability to go through multiple pre-throwing progressions (also called reads) is huge in the NFL.

This alone would get him drafted.

Granted, he looked like a mechanical robot doing it most of the time, but he still excelled at doing it.

What are the three biggest negatives?

• Happy Feet

• Tends to hold the ball too long before throwing

• Too reckless as a runner

Iamaleava bounces around in the pocket as he’s going through his progressions like someone is dribbling him. “Happy Feet” is the scouting term for that. He has a very hard time settling his feet when he’s setting up to throw.

Iamaleava also has difficulty getting the ball out of his hand on time. He showed this mechanical-looking nasty tendency to lock in and hard stare his intended receiver for an extra moment or two before throwing. He would freeze and then throw.

These mechanical issues bled into his deep passing game:

• 18/44 +19 air yards that I charted (40.9%)

But it really showed up on his passes in the intermediate route level (10-19 yards). He just does not throw with much anticipation. He tends to wait until after the receivers make their breaks on the routes they are running before throwing. Not throwing on time also contributed to his pass break-up (PBU) numbers:

• 32 PBUs in 13 games (2.46 average)

The other main issue ⎯

Iamaleava absorbs too much contact when running the football, and he seems to like the contact when he’s running the football too much. He’s not a big slider, and he would rather turn back into a defender than run out of bounds.

Translation = high injury risk.

NFL temperature check

I’m left seeing Iamaleava as a backup developmental type of prospect at this point.

Usually, I am so turned off to prospects that even hint they care more about money than they care about football, but I don’t get that sense from Iamaleava. He gives it everything he has to give.

Iamaleava appeared less robotic on film as the season progressed. He also flashes being able to get the ball out of his hand on schedule, and he did it enough times to give me reason to believe “it’s in him” to do it.

I’m hoping he relaxes and settles into the position even more in 2025.

#8 Nico Iamaleava (jersey # at Tennessee) 6-foot-6, 215 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Summer Grade: Third-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 23.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of June 14, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2024 game film evaluated: Chattanooga, NC State, Kent State, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Georgia, UTEP, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Well-schooled dual role prospect. Systematic progressions. Inconsistent footwork and timing. Tends to pat the ball pre-delivery. Mechanics-driven thrower from the pocket. Can fit the ball into some tight throwing windows. Below average anticipation. Average placement. Average accuracy in structure and off-platform. Too dependent on his upper body and natural arm strength when throwing. Doesn’t always throw the easiest ball to catch (short-to-intermediate range). His deep misses tend to be overthrown. Downfield dagger routes are his best passes. Decent running speed.

What to watch for during the 2025 college football season

1. Bouncing around in the pocket before throwing?

2. Noticeably pausing before throwing?

3. Protecting his body as a runner?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.