So Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is, according to reports, negotiating with the Vols to stay in Knoxville for the 2025 season.
That’s 14 weeks before the start of the college football season.
Welcome to the wild world of player empowerment, everyone. Or in the old-school negotiating parlance: leverage.
Unless Tennessee wants to intentionally crater its program, it will pay what Iamaleava wants. The only negative for Nico: If he doesn’t play at a high level – among the best at his position in college football – the locker room will eventually turn on him.
Iamaleava is talented but wasn’t exactly an elite player last season. In fact, he was barely among the top half of SEC quarterbacks.
The one thing we (think) we know: If he doesn’t reach a deal with Tennessee, he can’t, by conference mandate, play in the SEC in 2025. Unless he gets an attorney and sues the SEC ― which at this point in the world of player empowerment, wouldn’t surprise anyone.
Here are the top five landing spots for Iamaleava if he decides to leave Tennessee for more green:
Southern California
The road less traveled: back home to Long Beach, California. Forget about projected starter Jayden Maiava. He’s a solid player but he’s not Iamaleava.
Iamaleava knows what USC coach Lincoln Riley did with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, and how he developed two other Heisman winners (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray) and a Heisman finalist (Jalen Hurts) as coach of Oklahoma.
It’s the easy move with the least amount of complications and the greatest ceiling of all. Moving back to Los Angeles County and saving the USC program.
The only drawback: Playing in the Big Ten won’t be much easier than playing in the SEC.
North Carolina
Let’s see how serious new Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick is about this college thing.
His first season in Chapel Hill comes with three quarterbacks on the roster: injured journeyman Max Johnson, Purdue transfer Ryan Browne and freshman Bryce Baker.
If Iamaleava hits the portal, Belichick should tell GM Michael Lombardi to sign him at all costs. It’s a significant step down in level of play, which would allow Iamaleava to transition quickly and put up big numbers.
Colorado
Like North Carolina, a no-brainer. Liberty transfer Kaiden Salter is the projected starter, and freshman Julian Lewis the future.
But if CU coach Deion Sanders could get Iamaleava, it would be a game-changer. Imagine the Buffaloes’ offense, so dangerous with Shedeur Sanders the last two seasons, with Iamaleava’s big arm and run threat.
Any combination of Salter and Lewis isn’t getting Colorado to the Big 12 championship game. Iamaleava could.
Indiana
If Iamaleava is solely concerned about rapid improvement and the track record of a coach, he could do a lot worse than connecting with IU and coach Curt Cignetti.
He wins. And develops quarterbacks.
Cignetti worked wonders last year with Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke, who played five uneventful years at Ohio before a breakout season in 2024 with the Hoosiers.
He’s now likely a late-round selection in the NFL draft and wouldn’t have been selected based on his resume from Ohio.
Oregon
A longshot, no doubt. But if you’re Ducks coach Dan Lanning and Iamaleava hits the open market, you must have serious discussions with your offensive staff.
Talented former five-star recruit Dante Moore transferred last year from UCLA and sat behind Dillon Gabriel. He is the projected starter, but that inevitability would be severely tested if Iamaleava were to transfer to Oregon.
Frankly, it’s not a much of a question. You sign Iamaleava – who led his team to the College Football Playoff in his first season as a starter – and move forward with him as your starter.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.