madden iamaleava: Is Nico Iamaleava's brother Madden going to UCLA? Closer look at transfer portal drama

Is Nico Iamaleava's brother Madden going to UCLA? Closer look at transfer portal drama

Syndication: Ventura County Star - Source: Imagn — Madden Iamaleava will join brother Nico at UCLA. - Source: Imagn

Madden Iamaleava, the younger brother of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, entered the transfer portal Monday, just a day after his brother committed to join the UCLA Bruins, clearing the way for his transfer to Westwood.

Madden Iamaleava threw for more than 3,600 yards, along with 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions. The younger Iamaleava was a 4-star prospect and had enrolled with the Arkansas Razorbacks, but after a few months in Fayetteville, he entered the transfer portal. The timing of the decision created rumors that the quarterback was thinking about joining his brother.

Could this mean that the younger Iamaleava is also leaving the SEC for Westwood?

Is Madden Iamaleava going to UCLA?

Yes, Madden Iamaleava is transferring to the UCLA Bruins, joining older brother Nico, who committed to join the Bruins just yesterday. The news was first reported by ESPN's Chris Low.

Madden, a 4-star prospect, had originally committed to the Bruins while coming out of high school, but recommitted and joined the Arkansas Razorbacks. It was a quick turnaround for the former Razorbacks quarterback, as he only joined the portal for a few hours before committing to go back to UCLA.

According to 247 Sports, Madden Iamaleava was the No. 20 quarterback coming out of high school at Long Beach Poly. The 6-3, 191-pound quarterback will now be in the same position group as his brother.

The Iamaleava transfer saga began a couple of weeks ago when Nico Iamaleava was unexpectedly absent from practice. There were several theories about his absence until it was reported that it was due to an NIL issue.

Nico entered the portal last Wednesday after disputes over NIL earnings in Tennessee. The sophomore held out of practice while looking for a new deal, but after negotiations went nowhere, both sides decided to move on, with Iamaleava eventually landing in LA.

With Madden's arrival, both siblings could compete for the same spot, although it's likely that the younger Iamaleava will wait behind Nico for a couple of seasons before eventually getting the starting job.

There is only one other quarterback in the UCLA depth chart, sophomore Luke Duncan, after Joeay Aguilar entered the transfer portal this morning.

About the author

Allan Wolburg Robles is a College Sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over 17 years of experience in the field writing for publications including Reforma, Yahoo! OddsShark and Apuesta. Allan studied Communications at Anáhuac University, where he learned what would become the basis of a trade that was already a dream of his before starting college.

His favorite team is Army West Point as when he was young, Allan lived in West Point for a couple of years, went to pretty much every home game, a couple of Army-Navy games and even got to meet some of the players.

Allan's favorite players of all time include Tommie Frazier, who was unbelievable during the Nebraska dynasty of the early 90's. Tim Tebow was also a favorite, mainly because of his leadership skills, although he was also awesome on the football field. As a fan of defensive football, (or what's left of it), Sean Taylor could take over a game for Miami.

Allan has always considered himself a student of the game more than a fan of it. So the historical part and evolution of the game, as well as the ins and outs of what happens on the field, and being able to put it into words for the audience, are his biggest strengths.

Besides sports, Allan enjoys reading books, watching movies and spending time with his dogs.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash