Almost everybody wants Downey (Calif.) Warren five-star quarterback
Nico Iamaleava.
With Los Alamitos (Calif.) High’s
Malachi Nelson committed to USC and New Orleans Isidore Newman’s
Arch Manning having a much narrower list, Iamaleava is the most-sought after quarterback in the 2023 class.
He is the No. 13 overall player in the cycle, according to the
On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 rates him slightly higher than that at No. 10 in the
2023 On300 ranking.
Everyone would want a recruit like him, and that means he has a lot of suitors. And Iamaleava is keeping his options open.
Joseph Hastings of Clemson Sports caught up with Iamaleava during Battle Miami to talk about his recruitment.
Nico Iamaleava is excited for January visits to Miami, Oregon
After participating in the 7-on-7 games at Battle Miami, Iamaleava and his team are heading over to
Miamifor the Elite Prospect Day.
“I’ve been in contact with Coach (
Mario)
Cristobal, mainly,” Iamaleava said. “We talk every now and then.”
He is excited for his teammates — some of whom haven’t traveled much — to have the opportunity to experience college at a big time school like Miami. As for himself, he is just hoping to have a good time.
Before the dead period resumes, Iamaleava will visit Cristobal’s old home of
Oregon next weekend.
He said he has built a great relationship with new head coach
Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator
Kenny Dillingham. Dillingham actually offered Iamaleava when he was at Florida State.
“It’s good to see us still keep in contact with with him at Oregon,” Iamaleava said of Dillingham. “Our relationship is great.”
Why Alabama and Georgia “keep playing on my brain”
The top two teams during the 2021 season,
Georgia and
Alabama, are both recruiting Iamaleava hard. It is forcing him to think critically about what he wants.
“Those two, they keep playing on my brain, man,” Iamaleava said.
The five-star quarterback then expanded on that thought.
“It’s hard to make a decision,” Iamaleava continued. “You think about not making like the other coaches mad whenever you commit. But honestly it’s on you and wherever you think is the best fit for you. But man, Bama and Georgia, coach Monken, Coach O’Brien. It’s just a tough choice.”
Those two are not the two top leaders at the moment, Iamaleava added, as there are a lot of schools he is considering.
Add LSU and Penn State to Nico Iamaleava’s top 12
On Christmas Day, Iamaleava released a top 12 of
Alabama,
Auburn,
BYU,
Georgia,
Miami,
Notre Dame,
Ohio State,
Ole Miss,
Oregon,
Oregon State,
Tennessee and
UCLA
However, Iamaleava told Hastings that two schools that offered him after his list dropped can be added to his top schools:
LSU and
Penn State.
Both schools have made a good early impression and he is looking forward to continuing to develop those relationships over time.
“I love Coach (
James)
Franklin,” Iamaleava said of Penn State. “It was my first time meeting him when he offered and man he just seems like such an energetic guy, great guy. I look forward to meeting coach Franklin and just keep building our relationship with Coach
Mike too.”
