Is Joey Aguilar going to Tennessee? Latest update on former UCLA QB's next landing spot

Yes, quarterback Joey Aguilar, who entered the transfer portal this spring following Nico Iamaleava's departure from Tennessee, will play for the Volunteers in the 2025 season.

A lot has happened with the University of Tennessee after Iamaleava and the Volunteers parted ways on April 12, as they couldn't find middle ground on the NIL compensation issue. The quarterback was seeking $4 million in compensation from the Vols, who had a $2.4 million annual payout for him.

Iamaleava has since joined the UCLA Bruins, who lost Aguilar to the transfer portal. Earlier, Aguilar transferred to the Bruins from Appalachian State and post spring practice, he finds himself in a new place to play. So, as such, the two programs swapped the quarterbacks.

Aguilar's 2023 season saw him complete 293 of 460 passes for a 63.7% completion rate. He threw for 3,757 yards, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He finished the season with a passer rating of 151.6.

In 2024, Aguilar's performance dipped slightly, completing 218 of 390 passes for a 55.9% completion rate. He totaled 3,003 passing yards with an average of 7.7 yards per attempt, throwing 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.

Aguilar also played two years at the JUCO level at Diablo Valley College. After the NCAA granted a waiver to former JUCO players, he entered the transfer portal with the 2025 season being his final year in college.

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How much Joey Aguilar is in line to get paid from Tennessee?

Joey Aguilar joining Tennessee will be a big uptick following his two stellar seasons with Appalachian State, where he threw for more than 3,000 yards each. The Vols are an SEC school, so Aguilar will have more competition and money.

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports shared an important update on how much Tennessee would be paying him in NIL compensation.

"Tennessee's deal with ex-UCLA QB Joey Aguilar, if finalized, is expected to pay him significantly less (7 figures less) than Nico Iamaleava’s scheduled $2.4 million compensation, sources tell @YahooSports," Dellenger wrote on X. "Iamaleava’s UCLA compensation was also not expected to match his UT pay."

Going by the numbers, the Volunteers were paying Nico Iamaleave $2.4 million. A "7-figure" number would be $1 million, subtracting which, we get $1.4 million, which is the amount of money Aguilar could be making in NIL compensation.