Tennessee wins accidental QB trade as CFB insider reveals Joey Aguilar's NIL payout following transfer portal move

The fallout between Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee over the NIL contract dispute led to Joey Aguilar joining the Vols. Iamaleava entered the transfer portal and subsequently joined the UCLA Bruins, where he is expected to earn even less than the $2.4 million annual payout he was receiving at the Volunteers.

The Volunteers, for their part, will no longer have to shed $2.4 million for Iamaleava's services, and Aguilar doesn't charge that much.

According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports, the deal between Aguilar and Vols “is expected to pay him significantly less (7 figures less) than Nico Iamaleava’s scheduled $2.4 million compensation.”

Aguilar has played the last two seasons with Appalachian State. In 2023, he completed 293 of 460 pass attempts, achieving a completion rate of 63.7%. Aguilar threw for 3,757 yards at an average of 8.2 yards per attempt, tallying 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, with a long pass of 77 yards. He was sacked 19 times and posted a passer rating of 151.6.

In the 2024 season, Aguilar’s stats included 218 completions on 390 attempts, resulting in a lower completion rate of 55.9%. He passed for 3,003 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, with 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and a long throw of 83 yards. He was sacked 15 times and recorded a passer rating of 132.9.

After fallout with Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava made his feelings known after transfer to UCLA

Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel - Source: Imagn

The same report from Ross Dellenger also mentioned that the compensation Nico Iamaleava will receive at UCLA will be far less than the $2.4 million he earned with the University of Tennessee.

While the exact figures haven't been disclosed, rumors suggest the amount will be even lower than $2 million. This stands in stark contrast to Iamaleava's demand from Tennessee, where he wanted to earn $4 million in compensation.

On Sunday, after news of his transfer to the UCLA Bruins broke, the quarterback took to Instagram and released a statement that said:

“First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His grace, for continuing to bless my family, and for allowing me to live out my passion each and every day. To the amazing people in Knoxville, thank you for embracing and uplifting me throughout my time there.

“I’ll be forever thankful for the support you showed me every step of the way and I’ll always cherish the relationships I built there and the memories I created with my brothers. I believe with all my heart that I gave my all as a Volunteer. I’m truly grateful for the time I had at UT.

“My journey at UT has come to an end. This decision was incredibly difficult, and truthfully, not something I expected to make this soon. But I trust God’s timing, and I believe He’s leading me where I need to be. Even though, this chapter is ending, a new chapter has begun and I am committed to UCLA!”

Iamaleava led the Volunteers to a College Football Playoff appearance, finishing the season throwing 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions.