
Nico Iamaleava's UCLA football jersey number announced
2025 will mark the Bruins' first season with redshirt sophomore Nico Iamaleava at quarterback. He transferred to UCLA from Tennessee.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound signal-caller appeared in 18 games for the Vols during the 2023-24 seasons. He completed 241-of-379 passing attempts for 2,930 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Iamaleava also recorded 435 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 129 attempts at Tennessee.
He entered the NCAA transfer portal April 12 and committed to UCLA on April 20. Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee's final spring practice and Orange & White Game before transferring from the Vols.
He wore jersey No. 8 at Tennessee. No. 8 is retired by UCLA, honoring former Bruins' quarterback Troy Aikman. Iamaleava is listed to wear No. 9 on UCLA's official 2025 roster.
More: 2025 Tennessee football projected starting lineup for offense
More: Nico Iamaleava detailed being 'comfortable' in Tennessee's offense during spring practices
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Charlie Ward, Florida A&M in play for four-star recruit
The post Charlie Ward, Florida A&M in play for four-star recruit appeared first on ClutchPoints. Only a couple of months into his new position, Charlie Ward finds Florida A&M in play for a four-star recruit who is ranked as the number one player in Tennessee. Providence Christian Academy forward Christopher Washington Jr. included the Rattlers in his top seven schools that he's considering committing to, per a graphic posted to his Instagram on Monday. Florida A&M finds itself amongst top-tier basketball programs such as Alabama, Tennessee, and 2025 Final Four squad Auburn. In an interview with On3's Jamie Shaw, Washington spoke about the type of school he's looking to commit to. 'I want to go somewhere that feels like a family. So, I'm going to be looking at that. And I want to play early, so I want to go somewhere I'll play right away. How they play will be big for me. I like playing fast and playing on the wing. Location won't matter to me as long as it feels like family there.' With the traditional family vibes of an HBCU and the fact that Washington could likely find himself at the top of the depth chart with the Rattlers, even in his freshman year, Florida A&M could be a perfect landing spot. It would certainly be a big get for Ward if Washington chose the Rattlers, surely announcing his presence in the SWAC as well as to other standout recruits. Ward is already building an impressive roster. Among his already secured recruits, he landed former Buffalo guard Anquan Boldin Jr. and Monroe University's Devere Palmer. Palmer is a JUCO standout who averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game across 59 games. He also earned NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention honors after playing a key role in leading his team to an East District Championship and securing a spot in the NJCAA National Tournament. Boldin, known for his success at IMG Academy, received interest from several top Division I programs, including Mississippi State, Texas A\&M, and San Diego State, before ultimately committing to Ward and the Rattlers. Related: Keke Palmer, Shady McCoy & the demand for good 'journalism' Related: DeSean Jackson, Delaware State predicted to finish at the bottom of the MEAC
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
5 Bruins Who Could Thrive Playing For Marco Sturm
After a long head coaching search this off-season, the Boston Bruins officially named Marco Sturm their new bench boss on June 5. Sturm had been connected to Boston's head coaching job for several weeks before landing it, so it was not necessarily surprising to see the former Bruin hired for the role. However, it also makes a lot of sense that he is the Bruins' new head coach.


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
8 SEC football freshmen defenders who can make an instant impact
The SEC recruits better than any other conference in college football. With this much high-level talent, it's hard to keep some recruits off the field. A handful of true freshmen make immediate impacts every fall. Some players force their way on the field. Others have to play out of necessity. Either way, any team looking to contend needs a few first-year players to make an impact. Today, we'll look at eight true freshman defenders across the SEC that have a chance to be difference makers in 2025. This list ranges from five-stars who could play anywhere to four-star players making strong first impressions. It's hard to predict which true freshman will see playing time, which is typically volatile for true freshmen. It's not rare to see a guy play 35 snaps one week, only to ride the bench the next. But these are the guys likely to get an opportunity in 2025. Let's jump right in, starting with LSU's five-star cornerback. LSU CB DJ Pickett Pickett signed with LSU as the No. 2-ranked cornerback in the class, per the Rivals' Industry Rankings. He enrolled last December and began practicing with LSU ahead of the Tigers' bowl game. Pickett is uber talented and joins an LSU secondary looking to take a big step. Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Blake Baker had to rebuild the unit after a rough 2023. Progress was shown last year, but an influx of talent has led to higher expectations in 2025. There's playing time to be won and Pickett is good enough to demand it. The five-star may not start right away, but Pickett will be in LSU's rotation in Week 1. Tennessee DT Isaiah Campbell Tennessee has recruited at a high level in recent years under head coach Josh Heupel. Defensive tackle Isaiah Campbell is one of the highest-ranked signees in Huepel's tenure. According to the Rivals' Industry Rankings, Campbell was a five-star and the No. 4-ranked defensive tackle in the class. The buzz on Rocky Top suggests Campbell is ready to make an immediate impact. Tennessee lost a couple of contributing defensive tackles from the 2024 squad. Campbell is one of the most talented players on the roster. Look for Campbell to work into the rotation as Tennessee looks to continue its high level of play on the defensive side of the ball. Texas S Jonah Williams Williams, a five-star, was one of the best safeties in the class. He's a dual-sport star who played with Texas Baseball in the spring. That gave Williams a late start prepping for football season, but he's talented enough to overcome that. Texas' secondary has been one of the best in the country in recent years, but the Longhorns lost star safety Andrew Mukuba. The Longhorns have no shortage of blue-chip options at the position, so playing time won't come easily for Williams, but he's too much of a playmaker not to factor in at all. Look for Williams to be in the rotation by late October. Georgia DL Elijah Griffin Georgia recruited and developed some good defensive tackles in recent years. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis were both All-Americans at UGA before going on to be first-round picks. Now, five-star Elijah Griffin looks to be keeping that tradition going. Per 247Sports, Griffin was the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 defensive tackle in the class. It's hard to find the field as a freshman at Georgia, but Griffin has the tools. Here's what 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Irvins had to say about Griffin: "Disruptive interior force that fuses together exceptional physical traits with an advanced feel for the game. Has proven to be no match for the competition that he has faced and followed up an uber-productive prep career with a dominant showing during practices for the Under Armour All-America Game." Texas A&M DL DJ Sanders We'll stick with the theme of defensive tackles and highlight Texas A&M's DJ Sanders. Sanders wasn't a five-star like the first few guys on this list. Per the Rivals' Industry Rankings, Sanders was the No. 98 overall recruit and No. 11-ranked defensive tackle. But Texas A&M has a lot to replace on the defensive line and there's room for a true freshman to make an impact. "One of the stronger defensive linemen at the point of attack in the 2025 recruiting cycle, routinely stacks and sheds opposing offensive linemen with ease," wrote 247Sports analyst Hudson Standish. Georgia LB Zayden Walker Again, it's not easy to find playing time as a true freshman at Georgia, especially as a linebacker. Kirby Smart needs his linebackers to be operating at a high level mentally and not every freshman is up to the task. However, Walker has the athletic tools to mitigate the mental learning curve. Per 247Sports, Walker was the No. 1-ranked linebacker in the class. At 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, he's physically ready for SEC football. With CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson, Georgia likes its starting linebackers but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Walker get run as a depth piece or in special packages. Alabama S Ivan Taylor Alabama's secondary is loaded, but there's room for young guys to find the field, especially at safety. Taylor was a top-100 recruit and ranked No. 5 at his position. According to Andrew Bone, Taylor is in the mix to play as a true freshman. "He drew a lot of praise from the upperclassmen during the spring. There's a great chance he'll start on special teams and also make the regular rotation at safety. He'll have some great players ahead of him to learn from this fall." Ole Miss S Cortez Thomas Ole Miss's secondary was one of the SEC's best in 2024 but the group is starting from scratch in 2025 with most of the top contributors gone. That leaves true freshman Cortez Thomas with a chance to make an instant impact. Thomas wasn't a top recruit, ranking No. 322 nationally and No. 30 at his position. He was a blue-chip, but he's not the same caliber of prospect as some others on this list. With playing time wide open and position battles across the board, Thomas can wiggle into the rotation. Texas DE Lance Jackson Jackson won't claim a starting role for Texas with all the talent returning at pass rusher, but EDGE is a position where depth matters. The more competent pass rushers, the better a defensive coordinator can keep the unit fresh. Texas defensive end Colin Simmons is expected to be one of the top defenders in the country. If Jackson is good enough to spell Simmons for 10 snaps a game, Simmons' impact is maximized. Texas isn't shy about playing true freshmen, especially those of Jackson's caliber. The defensive end from Texas ranked as the No. 19 overall recruit and No. 2 at his position. Look to see Jackson on the field early for the Longhorns.