QB Joey Aguilar leaving UCLA to sign with Tennessee in swap after drama, NIL holdout with Nico Iamaleava

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Joey Aguilar, who transferred to UCLA just a few months ago, is now headed to Tennessee to replace Nico Iamaleava. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
David Jensen via Getty Images

UCLA and Tennessee have pulled off a rare quarterback trade in college football.

Joey Aguilar, who transferred into UCLA just a few months ago, is now on his way out. He struck a deal to sign with Tennessee on Monday afternoon, where he'll replace quarterback Nico Iamaleava — who just left the program for UCLA after a chaotic NIL holdout in Knoxville — according to ESPN's Chris Low.

The QB trade is complete. Joey Aguilar plans to sign with Tennessee after transferring to UCLA from App. State in the winter portal, sources tell ESPN. He trades places with Nico Iamaleava, who transferred from Tennessee to UCLA in the current portal. Back to business as usual.

— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) April 21, 2025

Iamaleava split with Tennessee ahead of the team’s spring game earlier this month over an alleged compensation dispute with the school’s NIL collective. His dad disputed that an increase in money was the center of the issue, but Iamaleava didn’t show up to team activities the day before the spring game and then the team announced soon after that he was no longer with them.

“There’s no one that’s bigger than the Power T,” Tennessee coach Josh Huepel said after the spring game. “And that includes me.”

Then on Sunday, Iamaleava officially announced that he was transferring to UCLA, where he’ll presumably be the starting quarterback this fall. Iamaleava went 213-of-334 for 2,616 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions last season while leading the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff. They fell in a blowout to Ohio State in the first round, though, and Iamaleava didn't throw a single touchdown in the loss.


With Iamaleava’s arrival in Southern California, that left UCLA’s already packed quarterbacks room scrambling. Aguilar, who transferred to UCLA just a few months ago from Appalachian State, told ESPN on Monday morning that he planned to enter the transfer portal again. Then, just a few hours later, he struck a deal with Tennessee.

Aguilar was poised to take over as the Bruins' starter this fall, which will be his final season of eligibility. He threw for 3,003 yards, which marked his second consecutive 3,000-yard season, and had 23 touchdowns with 14 interceptions with the Mountaineers last season. They went just 5-6.

Specifics of Aguilar's deal with the Volunteers are not yet known. But, after a chaotic exit by their last starting quarterback, Huepel and the Vols are back to normal. They have their new quarterback.

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