The spring will be a time of change for five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Earlier in the week the 2023 prospect decided to make the move from Warren High School in Downey, California to Southern California powerhouse program Long Beach Poly, where he began his high school career.
Wednesday, the top-10 recruit announced that his list of options is now down to five schools. Oregon, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Miami are the schools that Iamaleava will eventually choose from when he makes his decision, which is expected to take place sometime this spring.
The 6-foot-6 signal caller has emerged as one of the top recruits at his position in the class with Rivals currently ranking him fourth among all quarterbacks for 2023. He is the ninth-rated prospect overall and the No. 2-ranked recruit in California in the current cycle.
That has brought him opportunities to play at schools across the country, but now most of that group has now been eliminated.
Oregon is in the unique position of being the only West Coast program on the list with three of the five being schools in the SEC. The Ducks have a personal connection to Iamaleava through his cousin, Viane Talamaivao, who is now part of Dan Lanning’s staff in Eugene.
Though Tennssee has gained a considerable amount of buzz as of late, Oregon remains in the picture for Iamaleava moving into the spring thanks to a visit with the Ducks earlier in the year.
“I loved everything about Oregon -- the environment, they were so family-oriented and they treated me so good. I loved Coach Lanning, Coach Dillingham, my cousin Viane. It was a great experience for me," Iamaleava recently told Duck Sports Authority. "I got to take my mom on a visit -- that was her real first one she got to go on, so that's always good. She had a great time.
"I knew the facilities were going to be off the charts, but I didn't know how off the charts they'd be until I saw it in person. It was definitely good for me to get a good look at it in person."
The five-star recruit has NFL aspirations, and he says the school that will put him in the best position to reach the next level will ultimately earn his commitment. At Oregon, there is plenty of intrigue about what the Ducks’ offense will look like under new offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham.
Another visit with the Ducks could be in the cards before he makes a decision, and that trip would help Iamaleava get a better idea of what to expect to see on offense at Oregon under the new coaches.
“I definitely want to see how this offense plays out. Coach Dillingham recruited me when he was at Florida State, and he did some good things at Florida State, but I think with this Oregon team, the class they have right now, especially with Bo Nix coming in, I think they have a shot to be one of the top teams out there," he said. "They get Georgia first game, so I'm definitely going to be there at that one. Should be fun. ...
"Coach Dillingham told me they run a pretty basic offense compared to the NFL, and yeah, I think I'd be a great fit anywhere I go. Coach Dillingham just pitched to me come in and work hard if I do decide to go there. I want to see how it is in the spring. I'm definitely going to be getting back up there for some spring ball."
Iamaleava visited Tennessee earlier this month and has plans to return in April, and the Volunteers have gained momentum in his recruitment. Tennessee currently holds 75% of the Rivals FutureCast picks with Oregon representing the other 25% at this point.
The five-star recruit passed for 2,244 yards and 33 touchdowns with just one interception during his junior season. USC, UCLA, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, LSU, Texas A&M, Penn State and Auburn are some of the programs that have offered Iamaleava but did not make his latest cut.
