Sports

What UCLA's Iamaleava must do to improve future stock

UCLA Bruins On SI · Jul 22, 2026 13:00 · 2 min read

What UCLA's Iamaleava Must Do To Improve Future Stock — May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a bad season last year, Nico Iamaleava has lost some stock.

UCLA’s quarterback situation is one that will be closely monitored throughout next season.

New head coach Bob Chesney brought in 42 new players from the transfer portal and retained 20 players from the Bruins' 2026 high school class. 10 players from the portal are familiar with Chesney, as they followed him from James Madison.

Even with bringing in a whole bunch of new players, Chesney was able to retain key players from last year's UCLA team. Some players, including Scooter Jackson, Cole Martin, Eugene Brooks, and Scott Taylor, were all bright spots from last year's disaster of a season and will be key players for next season's team.

Another player who decided to come back was quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who is hoping for a bounce-back season. However, even with the struggles from last year, Iamaleava is considered one of the better QBs in the Big Ten in The Athletic's recent rankings.

Why Is Nico Ranked in Tier Three?

UCLA overall had a year that every fan would like to forget last season. With a 3-9 overall record and a 3-6 record in the Big Ten, former head coach DeShaun Foster was let go three games into the year.

Meanwhile, the star quarterback, Iamaleava, had a year with the Bruins that he would like to put behind him. Iamaleava finished last year with under 2,000 passing yards (1,928), as well as 13 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. Iamaleava was also ineffective in the pocket, and under pressure, he would hang onto the ball too long, resulting in 27 sacks.

What Iamaleava Can Do To Improve His Stock

While Nico did struggle last season, he lacked the weapons around him to help him succeed. Last year, he was the leading rusher with 505 yards on the ground and four touchdowns, and his leading receiver, Kwazi Gilmer, had 535 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

This upcoming season, Chesney brought in players like running back Wayne Knight, who rushed for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns last year with James Madison. Chesney also brought in wide receivers Landon Ellis, who followed him from James Madison, as well as Leland Smith from San Jose State, and Brian Rowe Jr. from South Carolina, to make sure the wide receiver position has some reliable weapons for Iamaleava to throw the ball to.

While it seems unlikely that Nico would enter the NFL Draft after a good year, as teams would want to see more consistency from him. If he decided to come back for his final season, he would be looked at as one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten.