On3 Roundtable: Nico Iamaleava understands freshman year is a 'learning process'

Tennessee freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava has already turned some heads in Knoxville in his short time with the team after enrolling early and participating in spring practice. Per usual, being a highly touted quarterback recruit comes with pressure and expectations to perform early and perform well. JD PicKell spoke with Brent Hubbs of Volquest on On3 Roundtable about what Iamaleava’s actual internal expectations are in his first collegiate season of his young career.

“Well, there’s going to be pressure because of who he is and the ranking that he has,” Hubbs said. “But internally I don’t think there’s that pressure. And one thing I’ll say about Nico that’s been impressive since he’s been in Knoxville, he’s not jumping to the front of the line. He’s not going in with expectations with demands and wanting this or that. He understands he’s in a learning process.”

Iamaleava was a five-star prospect out of Warren high school in Long Beach, California, where he was ranked the No. 6 overall player and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class according to On3’s Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

His talent and 6-foot-5.5, 190-pound frame give him all the makings of an elite starting quarterback for the Volunteers. But according to Hubbs, his main focus at the moment is to develop and learn as much as he can from veteran quarterback Joe Milton.

“He’s settling in he wants to sit back and learn and learn a lot from Joe. They have spent a ton of time together in the complex, a ton of time together out of the complex going over things, because he’s being a sponge right now, which is what you want a freshman to be,” Hubbs explained. “And I think it’s a great spot for him because he does not have to be the guy from day one.”

Milton is entering his sixth collegiate season this year and likely has plenty of knowledge to share with Iamaleava, whose only been a college student for a few months. He’s appeared in 31 games with nine starts in his career between his time with Michigan and Tennessee, and if he starts this season could have a pivotal role in the development and maturation of the Volunteers potential star quarterback of the future.

“And he can learn and grow under Joe Milton as the season goes along. And it’s exactly what you want a young quarterback to be, and I think most importantly, the young quarterback’s got to accept that and I think Nico has to this point for sure,” Hubbs said.

Iamaleava impressed in Tennessee’s spring game, completing 50% of his passes 112 yards and leading two scoring drives for the Orange team. But now that spring practice is over, he’ll focus on developing physically and mentally behind Milton in preparation for fall camp and the 2023 season.