Nico Iamaleava getting used to college-level wide receivers

There’s an opening at quarterback for Tennessee this offseason, though veteran Joe Milton will do his best to lock down that job this spring. But it’d be hard to overlook the arrival of five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava.

The freshman phenom had adjusted quickly through a few days of spring practice. And the biggest thing he’s found is that the talent has scaled up.

It’s been quite the adjustment.

“I think everybody in college really is good,” Iamaleava said. “In high school you’d maybe have one or two guys, and the rest is kind of just like regular high school guys. I don’t want to say regular high school, just not at the same competition as this college level.”

The difference has allowed Iamaleava to start scaling up with his own talent level.

It’s tough when you’re one of the best quarterbacks in the country and you have to adjust downward to your peers. That’s no longer the case in college, allowing Nico Iamaleava’s innate five-star ability to shine through.

That’s fantastic news for Volunteers fans.

“Definitely college guys got me better, just the speed of them and how fast they are,” Iamaleava said. “I won’t really overthrow a ball. It would really just be on there, or working on not underthrowing is what it is for me.”

Nico Iamaleava acting like an information sponge

The one thing that Joe Milton, the veteran, has already praised Nico Iamaleava, the incoming freshman, for has been his willingness to learn. Not only willingness, but desire.

The freshman quarterback has constantly been in Milton’s ear asking questions.

“He’s very impressive. He’s intelligent,” Milton said. “He wants to understand what’s going on. He don’t want to be out there and just have his head on a swivel all day. He wants to understand what’s going on. He wants to know everything I know, so I help him out.”

That need for knowledge and desire to get up to speed as quickly as possible should also only help in the quarterback room. Worst-case scenario is Milton gets a healthy push and betters his own play as a result.

Best case Tennessee has an awesome and deep quarterback room.

There’s no shortage of skill for Iamaleava, and the desire to improve on the knowledge side of things is a real bonus.

“I mean he for sure can throw the ball, that’s one thing,” Milton said. “But also just his willingness to learn. I always told Nico when he first got here, any question, that’s not a dumb question. Ask me whatever you want, I’ve been through it all. I’ve been through adversity twice. Just ask me whatever you want. That goes for anybody on the team, just ask me whatever you want. I may not have the answer, but I really may have the answer just because I’ve been through a lot.”