WATCH: Tennessee 5-star QB commit Nico Iamaleava threads the needle on touchdown pass
Long Beach (Calif.) Warren five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava started his senior season off strong, throwing for roughly 210 yards, rushing for more than 50 and scoring two total touchdowns in a 50-0 win over Kamehameha Kapalama (Hi.). Iamaleava carried that momentum into Friday night’s matchup against Whittier (Calif.) La Serna by throwing a touchdown in the first quarter.
However, the Tennessee commit then tossed a pick-six that notched the game at six. Eventually, La Serna led 16-6. However, Iamaleava rebounded by throwing another touchdown before halftime that cut La Serna’s lead to three.
Iamaleava’s performance played a key role in Warren’s 32-26 win. In addition to his two first-half touchdowns, the five-star recruit added another touchdown pass and a rushing score later in the game.
Iamaleava is the No. 7 overall prospect and the No. 4 quarterback in the 2023 On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 2 player in California.
On3 rates the five-star prospect even higher. Per the 2023 On300, Iamaleava is the No. 2 overall recruit, No. 2 quarterback and No. 1 player in California.
Iamaleava is the highest-rated recruit in Tennessee’s 2023 recruiting class. The Volunteers’ group ranks No. 13 in the 2023 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 5 in the SEC.
A 6-foot-5.5, 195 pound prospect, Iamaleava has an On3 NIL Valuation of $1M. The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes. The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.
Nico Iamaleava On3 Scouting Summary
“High-upside signal caller who may have the best physical tools among quarterbacks in the 2023 cycle. Has one of the stronger arms in the cycle, generating considerable velocity on his throws in camp settings. Tall with a slender build with room to fill out. Boasts a quick, clean throwing motion despite his longer arms. A bouncy, fluid mover who doubles as a top volleyball player.
“Still developing in terms of some technical aspects of the game. Plays in a high school offense that is heavily skewed towards quick passes and screens. Can continue to improve his accuracy on downfield passes. Has done a very good job taking care of the football with just two interceptions in his first two varsity seasons.”