College Football
Nico Iamaleava Transfer Portal: Alabama & Georgia Unable to Sign Tennesee QB – Why USC, UCLA or Oregon Could be His Next Team
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Get to know David Evans betterPublished12 Apr 2025
Nico Iamaleava is set to enter the transfer portal on April 16 after a breakdown in NIL talks with Tennessee. His asking price—around $4 million annually—has raised eyebrows, but that’s not the only reason he won’t end up at Alabama or Georgia. SEC rules and timing matter just as much.
SEC Transfer Rules Make Alabama And Georgia Ineligible for Iamaleava
Reminder on the SEC’s intraconference transfer rules: No SEC-to-SEC transfers in the spring portal, even for grad transfers.
Nico can’t go to another SEC school and gain immediate eligibility, and Tennessee can’t go get their next starter from an SEC foe. pic.twitter.com/InsAEmvVfg
— Max Olson (@max_olson) April 12, 2025
The SEC blocks in-conference transfers during the spring window unless the player sits out a full season. Iamaleava is draft-eligible in 2026, so he’s not waiting a year to play. That rule alone shuts the door on any immediate move to another SEC program. If he wants to start in 2025, he has to leave the conference.
Quarterback Questions Don’t Change The Math
Both lost Carson Beck to Miami after an injury derailed his 2024 season. Gunner Stockton is now expected to start, but that’s hardly set in stone.
Despite the openings, Iamaleava can’t transfer to either school without sitting, and neither is likely to wait that long or structure their roster around that uncertainty. Timing—not talent—is the blocker here.
Nico Iamaleava’s Top Transfer Options
While he doesn’t have options in the SEC, there are plenty of options elsewhere for the talented QB.
- USC: He’s from Long Beach, and Lincoln Riley’s QB-friendly system is a strong fit. With no clear starter, Iamaleava could take over immediately.
- Oregon: Dillon Gabriel is gone. Oregon has the money and the playoff-ready roster. Iamaleava would step into a high-powered offense with national exposure.
- UCLA: Close to home. Joey Aguilar transferred in, but Iamaleava could beat him out. UCLA’s Big Ten schedule adds visibility without SEC restrictions.
The SEC is locked out for now. The West Coast is open and ready. If the price is right, Iamaleava’s next chapter probably starts in California or Eugene.
