NIL Drama Follows as Madden Iamaleava Follows Brother Nico to UCLA

The Iamaleava quarterback shuffle is officially in high gear as Madden Iamaleava, younger brother to the highly touted Nico Iamaleava, is reportedly switching his college commitment from Arkansas to UCLA. This move comes on the heels of Nico’s own transfer from Tennessee to the Bruins for the 2025 season, turning UCLA’s locker room into something of a family reunion — or maybe a reality show, given all the contract drama swirling around.

Nico’s departure from Tennessee was announced nearly two weeks ago, with head coach Josh Heupel confirming the quarterback’s exit. Nico, expected to bring star power to UCLA, will now have his brother potentially backing him up — talk about sibling synergy (or sibling rivalry, if things get spicy).

The twist? Madden’s decision to ditch Arkansas has Arkansas’ NIL collective seeing red. According to reports, the collective has sent out demand letters to players, including Madden, for buyout clauses after they bailed before their NIL contracts expired. Arkansas is seeking a cool $200,000 from Madden, which is a hefty price for a change of heart — or, in this case, a change of jersey.

This NIL tug-of-war isn’t new for the Iamaleavas. Nico’s own negotiations with Tennessee reportedly led him to skip practice, which played a part in his split from the program. Nico’s contract was worth $2.4 million (with reports suggesting it could have reached nearly $10 million). Not bad for a college gig, especially when the biggest stress is choosing between Tennessee orange and UCLA blue.

Nico wrapped up his 2024 season at Tennessee with 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and only five interceptions — numbers that had fans dreaming big. Meanwhile, UCLA stumbled to a 5-7 record in their Big Ten debut, so the arrival of the Iamaleava brothers could be just the shake-up the Bruins need.

It’s safe to say the NIL era has made college football’s transfer season as unpredictable as a last-second Hail Mary. Now, all eyes turn to UCLA to see if this family reunion pays off on the field — and if Arkansas ever sees that $200,000 check.