Josh Heupel just picked up his most high-profile commitment ever as head coach of Tennessee football. His style of play was naturally going to make the Vols attractive to top-notch quarterbacks, and they have now added one from California.
Nicho Iamaleava, who has from Los Angeles County, is the newest quarterback to commit to Rocky Top. A five-star across all services except ESPN, where he is a four-star, Iamaleava is generally considered a pro-style pocket-passer.
Coming out of Poly High School in Long Beach, Calif., Iamaleava is listed between 6’5″ and 6’6″ depending on the service you go by, and he weighs in the range of 195 to 205 pounds. He announced his commitment to Tennessee football on Twitter.
VOL NATION i m h e r e🍊#wewantnico #yougotme #TOABOYZ https://t.co/0Tb70NND78
— 🇼🇸Nicholaus Iamaleava Jr.🇦🇸 (@nico_iamaleava8) March 21, 2022
With Iamaleava’s commitment, the Vols are now loaded at quarterback for the future. Once Hendon Hooker graduates at the end of 2022, Heupel and Alex Golesh will have four options to choose from for 2023 and three beyond that.
As of right now, Joe Milton III will still be on the roster at that point, and Appalachian State Mountaineers transfer Navy Shuler, the son of UT legend Heath Shuler, will also be on the roster. Shuler will be eligible for at least two years beyond 2023 as well.
However, the race is likely to come down to Iamaleav and Tayven Jackson, a four-star quarterback out of Indiana who committed last year. Both appear to bring a lot to the table, and both are mostly pocket passers. Here is a look at Iamaleav’s highlight reel.
As you can see, while most high school quarterbacks showcase their arm strength for coaches, Iamaleav showcases his ability to thread the needle on intermediate passes. That’s a huge advantage, and it should immediately set him up to be effective in Heupel’s system.
Iamaleav’s commitment likely removes Arch Manning off the board for UT, but they are still loaded at quarterback. He joins Tyler Bray and Casey Clausen as notable California quarterbacks to join Tennessee football. Regardless of where else the Vols may be deficient going forward, it looks like quarterback will be a strength to help mask it.