Nico Iamaleava’s transfer portal decision just keeps looking worse

To say his side misplayed this is quickly becoming an understatement.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes — the Nico Iamaleava camp is figuring out the true meaning of that phrase this week. The former five-star quarterback’s reps opted to demand more money from Tennessee late last week, reportedly up to $4 million for Iamaleava to stick around in Knoxville.

Tennessee had no interest in paying him that much money, and Nico didn’t show up to the final spring practice last Friday as a result. Iamaleava, his father and some form of an agent on their side chose to play hardball, and Tennessee had had enough.

Josh Heupel told the team that they’d be moving forward without the California quarterback on Friday night.

Both sides felt comfortable enough to make the move, but one side greatly miscalculated their worth.

Tennessee will be fine. They had the money to meet Iamaleava’s demands, the situation just grew too tiresome. From rumors of scheme change demands, personnel changes and money, it seems like the Tennessee side was just finished. Josh Heupel will presumedly take his funds and pluck another sitting starter to fill Nico’s shoes this fall. We’ll see soon with the portal set to open on Wednesday.

But Nico? Well that’s a different story. Word is out on how his side managed the situation, even dating back to his high school days. That’s where this started after all, with Nico operating as the No. 1 overall player in the country in the class of 2023. Iamaleava received the first public multi-million dollar NIL deal, valued at north of $2 million per season. And even after a mediocre first season as a starter, his father and agent demanded his salary be doubled.

They were so confident that they chose to hit the open market in the spring transfer portal, even after shopping themselves around back in the winter. Just days into this process, that looks like a monumental financial mistake.

According to Pete Nakos, who has been all over this story from the start, schools are playing it slow with Iamaleava and waiting for his asking price to go down. Multiple big time schools are already out (at least at his first price-tag), including Notre Dame, USC, Oregon and North Carolina.

Even the Tulane rumor was shot down on Tuesday afternoon. Bill Belichick is reportedly in pursuit of South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez over Iamaleava. The no-nonsense Super Bowl winner was never going to put up with all this drama after seeing it play out live.

You think the Iamaleava group would take a do-over here? It’s truly unfortunate for Nico, with so much on the line. He’s clearly getting bad guidance here from someone, whether it be his father (sounds like it) or someone acting as his agent. With a $2.5 million deal in place for the 2025 season, playing in the SEC in a system he knows, coming off of a CFP berth, imagine those that you trust the most pulling this on you.

Nico could potentially make half or less than he made in 2023 and 2024.

And look down the road further. Iamaleava’s 2024 season wasn’t great by any stretch, but the tools and upside were still there. Any step forward at all would have put him in play to be drafted following the ‘25 season. Now what? You learn a completely new system and coaching staff and play on a significantly worse team. How’s that for killing some NFL Draft stock? Not to mention the sudden off-field circus that’s been made public.

Maybe there will be some renewed interest once they lower their asking price. But right now? Things are looking bleak. If I’m Nico right now, my first demand goes to my handlers, not my next school — find me a real agent.