On3 5-Star Countdown: No. 2, QB Nico Iamaleava

On3 has updated its 2023 On300 after a summer filled with camps and 7-on-7 tournaments. The No. 2 overall prospect in the 2023 cycle and earning five-star status is Long Beach (Calif.) Long Beach Poly quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who is committed to Tennessee. Iamaleava jumped up from No. 5 in the previous rankings.

The summer before senior year is one of the most important periods in the recruiting cycle. Prospects start taking their official visits and many narrow down their options — some all the way down to one. Camps such as Elite 11 and Future 50 take place with standout players getting a chance to prove themselves against the best of the best.

But with summer camp season over and high school football season around the corner, the top of the 2023 recruiting class is starting shape into form.

The class has already produced some of the most engaging and unique stories on the recruiting trail in recent memory thanks to high-quality prospects, the advent of NIL and the introduction of the new era of college football.

The latest edition of On3’s 2023 rankings features 21 players with a coveted five-star rating, up from a previous 15 five-star players. There are also six new prospects who earned their coveted fifth star after this latest round of evaluations.

Nico Iamaleava Scouting Summary

“Possesses a pure throwing motion with one of the quickest releases we’ve seen from a high school quarterback prospect. Those mechanics pair with a strong arm to make Iamaleava one of the more natural and 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.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings