Transfer portal … trade? Quarterbacks Nico Iamaleava, Joey Aguilar swap places

College sports have grown more and more similar to professional sports every day, with millions of dollars flying around and players hopping in and out of the transfer portal. The drama mimics that of NFL and NBA free agency.

But, on Monday, it reached a whole new level, when we saw the closest thing yet to a trade. The Tennessee Volunteers and UCLA Bruins essentially swapped quarterbacks. 

First, Nico Iamaleava, who led the Volunteers to a College Football Playoff appearance last season, made his transfer to UCLA official when he posted it on his Instagram on Sunday. With Iamaleava walking into the Bruins’ locker room as the presumed starter, rumors swirled about the future of Joey Aguilar, an Appalachian State transfer who was leading the quarterback battle at UCLA. 

On Monday, Aguilar committed to Tennessee, per ESPN, and could now assume the starting spot vacated by Iamaleava. 

The dominoes didn’t stop falling there, though, as Aguilar’s departure meant there was an opening at the backup spot behind Iamaleava. Fittingly, Iamaleava’s brother, Madden, a 2025 commit and early-enrolee at Arkansas, entered the transfer portal and quickly announced his decision to join UCLA, per On3sports.  

It truly is madness, but a situation like this was bound to happen with the freewheeling transfer portal. And, in fact, symbolizes where college sports are at right now. 

So, how did this all happen?

Iamaleava, who struggled in Tennessee’s CFP loss to the eventual-national champion Ohio State back in December, was looking to build on the experience he garnered throughout his sophomore season at Tennessee. He had signed a four-year deal worth $8 million during his senior year of high school, and was heading into the final year of that where he’d make $2.2 million. 

He, reportedly, was looking to increase that amount to $4 million, and when Tennessee didn’t oblige, Iamaleava didn’t show up at spring practices and, eventually, entered his name in the transfer portal. Five days later, he officially landed at UCLA.

“His family is saying, ‘it’s not about the money,'” Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd said Thursday on The Herd. “Tennessee is saying, ‘eye roll, give me a break.’”

Whether that is the reason or not is up to personal discretion. Realistically, Iamaleava will be an upgrade at quarterback for UCLA, and probably the program’s best option since Dorian Thompson-Robinson graduated in 2022.

“He’s a very talented player,” Cowherd said. “He’s going to be a first round, second round prospect. Long, tall, good arm.”

He joins a Bruins team that is coming off their first losing season since the COVID-affected 2020 season. 

They hired offensive coordinator Tino Suneri, who helped lead Indiana to a CFP berth in 2024, and returned key pieces in receivers Rico Flores Jr. and Kwazi Gilmer. 

UCLA didn’t just get a quarterback that will help it compete this season, but now has options for the future. Nico Iamaleava’s arrival attracted his younger brother, Madden, to UCLA. The younger Iamaleava was the 20th-ranked quarterback prospect in the 2025 class, per 247sports’ rankings. He’ll have the opportunity to prove that he can succeed his brother after he graduates. 

Tennessee, on the other hand, was left to piece things together. In a statement to the Athletic, Tennessee’s athletic director, Phillip Fulmer, said he was proud of the stand the university took. They saved money and now have a serviceable quarterback option. That is, once Aguilar’s commitment becomes official. 

Aguilar threw for 6,760 yards across two seasons as a starter at Appalachian State. He threw for 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a junior, but his numbers dipped this past season to a 23:14 ratio. He did, however, lead the Sun Belt conference in passing yards per game with 273. 

He’ll join a Volunteers program coming off its second double-digit-win season in the last three years, and their first trip to the CFP, qualifying as the 7-seed in the first year of the 12-team format. 

Tennessee will enter the season with uncertainty at the most important position in football. But, the program prides itself on the stand it took against the craziness of the college football transfer portal. A stand that incited a wonky pseudo-trade between the Volunteers and the UCLA Bruins, that definitely won’t be the last of its kind.

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