It was a wild ride for Nico Iamaleava in 2024. It didn’t matter that Tennessee got knocked out by Ohio State in the first round of the playoffs. At least, their 20-year-old signal caller led the Vols to their first-ever playoffs with a 10-2 record. That’s an incredible achievement in itself. And we already know that he’s inked a highly lucrative $8 million NIL deal. But with power comes assessment, and it’s his multi-million dollar contract that set the foundation of this scrutiny. 

The latest On3 Recruits episode touched on the debate of Nico Iamaleava’s production over his earnings on January 13. Is it a boom or bust? Insider Josh Newberg didn’t mince words when he said, “I know it’s really too early to officially say it but I’m going to say it right now. I’m leading bust… I know he’s not, as of now, what you would call a boom five-star No. 3 quarterback in the country.”

How did Nico Iamaleava enter this conversation in the first place? To understand, we have to go back to 2022, when he was still an HS prospect, signing one of the most lucrative NIL deals. The Athletic reported that he signed a 3-year, $8 million contract with Spyre Sports Group. He previously stated, “I was fortunate enough to be part of that first class when NIL came out, and maybe it opened the door for others, but I wouldn’t say I take pride in it. I take pride in what I can do to help our team.” 

With such an expensive label on him, everybody expected a beast out of him ahead of the 2024 season. A valid expectation. Now, the thing is, Nico Iamaleava led the Vols to an unrivaled season, but his overall production this past season didn’t make the cut that Newberg expects of a top five-star QB. 19 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a QBR of 70.6? Not exactly ‘eye-popping’ numbers for Newberg. Here’s how the redshirt freshman measures up to the top NFL draft QB prospects. 

Nico Iamaleava’s stats get blown out of comparison

Following Tennessee’s third loss of the season, Nico Iamaleava recorded 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns. That’s pale in comparison to the performances of the top QB prospects like Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Ward currently ranks as the No. 1 QB on CBS Sports with 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. Sanders follows behind with 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns. 

A gaping difference, but this isn’t a ground for comparison in the first place. After all, he’s just beginning his college football career. There’s still time to catch up. Nico Iamaleava still has four years of college eligibility to improve and develop to match his NIL achievement. And he is not draft-eligible until 2026. He’s currently one of the top earners with an NIL valuation of $3.1 million. 

Can Josh Heupel and his offensive crew find a way to develop this rising CFB star so he can be a “boom five-star No. 3 quarterback in the country?”