When Nico Iamaleava signed a blockbuster NIL cope with Tennessee popping out of highschool that paid him a reported $2 million per yr, that was the opening salvo in what has been a cash practice run wild.
Relying on which reporting you imagine over the past 24 hours, both Iamaleava is working to renegotiate that deal within the $4 million-per-year vary as the marketplace for quarterbacks – particularly within the SEC – has gone up despite the fact that Iamaleava’s father has denied having any concept.
In response to a supply, Iamaleava, who missed Tennessee’s apply on Friday, has not talked to Tennessee’s collective – Spyre Sports activities Group – in months. There’s some chatter floating round that sources in Knoxville are floating these Iamaleava renegotiation rumors to play hardball.
The scenario is simply too fluid to essentially grasp any agency particulars in the intervening time. It’s unclear what Iamaleava’s plan is for Saturday’s spring recreation.
However the narratives floating out from some media insiders on Friday are laughable at greatest and silly at worst.
Take 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge for instance, calling Iamaleava a “mediocre participant who’s strong-arming a college’s booster base into additional cash or he’ll depart.”
Or 680TheFan’s Barrett Sallee, previously of CBS Sports activities, saying Iamaleava, “isn’t that good. … Tennessee could be effective shifting on and discovering someone else.”
Or Fox Sports activities’ Chris Fallica stating that Iamaleavea threw 19 touchdowns final season – 11 of them coming towards Chattanooga, UTEP and Vanderbilt.
Speedy Tennessee homer Clay Travis mentioned: “Not my name, however with Nico no-showing apply at Tennessee, I’d reduce bait. You may’t have a workforce chief this immature. Actually poor resolution by his household. No matter he makes in school is a pinprick of what he might make within the NFL at some point if he matures into a professional QB.”
Let’s simply bear in mind a couple of issues and put some others into context: Final season was Iamaleava’s first as a starter. He definitely didn’t have an historic yr however even many latest No. 1 quarterback draft picks have.
Caleb Williams threw for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns in his first season at Oklahoma towards Massive 12 defenses. He transferred to USC, following coach Lincoln Riley, and fully dominated.
Kyler Murray was a catastrophe in his first season at Texas A&M, throwing 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. What would the Aggies have paid to maintain him in Faculty Station and never switch to Oklahoma, the place he threw 42 TDs in 2018?
Baker Mayfield threw 12 TDs and 9 picks in his one season at Texas Tech earlier than transferring to Oklahoma, the place he threw 119 touchdowns in three seasons.
Joe Burrow did nothing at Ohio State for 3 years, coach City Meyer didn’t assume a lot of him, after which he transferred to LSU the place he threw 60 touchdowns in 2019 in top-of-the-line performances in school soccer historical past. If the Buckeyes solely paid up and developed him there, what might have been?
Of latest No. 1 quarterbacks, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Alabama’s Bryce Younger had been outliers. After they stepped on the sphere, they dominated. But when the thought on Iamaleava is that he is overrated and isn’t price a pair further million {dollars} as a result of he isn’t like Younger and Lawrence, then these are unrealistic expectations.
Iamaleava was the No. 2 prospect within the 2023 class for quite a few causes. He has insane arm expertise, he’s a freak athlete, he can dominate soccer video games. So he didn’t throw for 40 touchdowns proper out of the gate in Knoxville.
He additionally wasn’t surrounded by world-class receivers. Lawrence had Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross in his freshman season. Younger was throwing to Jameson Williams and John Metchie and had an offensive line that wouldn’t let him be touched.
Let’s additionally do not forget that Iamaleava was a giant half in getting Tennessee to the Faculty Soccer Playoff final season, its first-ever look, and misplaced to eventual nationwide champ Ohio State.
The Vols have had double-digit win totals twice within the final 17 seasons – as soon as in 2022 and final yr in Iamaleava’s first season.
Possibly lacking apply – and probably the spring recreation – will likely be a PR blunder that Iamaleava can not come again from. Possibly Knoxville has turned on him. Some within the media definitely have with the lens of 1 season, forgetting that not everyone seems to be a miracle employee from Day 1.
Possibly this NIL world of paying gamers now calls for prompt success or the participant is a bum.
Iamaleava is the furthest factor from that.
Tennessee must be on its palms and knees begging him to not enter the switch portal. Pay that man his cash, even when the negotiations weren’t precisely dealt with like they might be in Entourage. Not everyone seems to be as smooth as Ari Gold.
Dropping Iamaleava would a catastrophe for the Vols. Williams, Murray and Mayfield all left. Which fan from these packages wouldn’t be gathering each penny doable to get them again?
