Paul Finebaum reacts to Nico Iamaleava transfer decision: 'UCLA is not a safe haven'

Following his departure from Tennessee due to an NIL dispute, Nico Iamaleava appears to be heading to Westwood. The Athletic reported he is expected to commit to UCLA, and Paul Finebaum reacted to the decision afterward.

Finebaum noted Tennessee likely didn’t plan on parting ways with Iamaleava before the NIL issues arose. On3’s Pete Nakos reported the two sides were in active negotiations before the former five-star quarterback missed the following day’s practice. He then decided to enter the portal on Wednesday with a “do not contact” tag as the window opened.

However, even though Iamaleava is heading to UCLA, Finebaum said the NIL saga will be part of the conversation around him. That’s why he argued the Bruins are “not a safe haven.”

“You’re talking, Justin, about opportunists across the country and they only care about the next deal,” Finebaum told caller Justin from Auburn. “Listen, the evaluation on Nico, from the people who knew him best, was not very good. That was Josh Heupel and his staff. They would’ve kept him, by the way, but they didn’t think he was worth upping the ante. So they got rid of him.

“Ultimately, this will follow him around. UCLA is not a safe haven. It’s about the only choice he has.”

Two days before Tennessee’s 2025 spring game, Nakos reported Iamaleava was in active negotiations about a new NIL deal. The quarterback was then absent from the following day’s practice as the situation unfolded, and he ultimately chose to enter the transfer portal. When he did so, he could not commit to an SEC program as conference rules do not allow intra-conference transfers during the spring portal window from April 16-25.

Prior to his absence from the April 11 practice – which ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported was a “surprise” – Chris Low reported Nico Iamaleava didn’t have much contact with the program. Staff members, including offensive coordinator Joey Halzle, had dinner at Iamaleava’s house April 10. From there, communication was fairly quiet, and Heupel announced the program was parting ways with Iamaleava.

“Listen, it’s the state of college football,” Heupel told Brent Hubbs on The Vol Network radio broadcast. “At the end of the day, no one is ever bigger than the program. That includes me, too. We’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got a bunch of guys that will give their all for Tennessee. We move forward. Got a great group. Let’s go compete.”