UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava has indicated to the Bruins that he plans to return to the program in 2027, his agent told CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. Iamaleava suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the Bruins' win at Oregon on Oct. 10. Now the question becomes whether his starting job will still be there waiting for him or whether he might have to earn it back.
Cal Poly transfer Ty Dieffenbach has stepped into the starting role for UCLA since Iamaleava's injury and performed well, leading the Bruins to wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State. Dieffenbach also threw a critical fourth-quarter touchdown pass for the No. 7 Bruins in their win over the Ducks after Iamaleava's injury earlier this month. Though he's listed as a senior, Dieffenbach has one more year of eligibility remaining under the NCAA's new five-for-five eligibility model that he could use in 2027.
Iamaleava is also listed as a senior on the Bruins' roster and will have one season remaining under the same eligibility rule. As the No. 2-ranked quarterback prospect from the Class of 2023, Iamaleava was expected by many to be in the NFL by now. He was draft-eligible last year after a pedestrian redshirt sophomore campaign under UCLA's prior coaching staff.
But with teetering draft stock, he made a wise decision by returning to UCLA to play for new coach Bob Chesney. Iamaleava was off to a solid but unspectacular start in 2027 before the ACL injury derailed it. Iamaleava's 2027 draft status would have been complicated by his torn ACL recovery.
The injury would have made going through the usual pre-draft process challenging -- if not outright impossible. Remaining at UCLA for another year should reduce any urgency to rush back from a serious knee injury. He'll get to rehab within the walls of a Big Ten program and benefit from the medical infrastructure that comes with being part of such a sophisticated operation.
While it's still possible that Iamaleava could have been selected in the later rounds of the 2027 NFL Draft as a 6-foot-5 prospect with a strong arm and good mobility, the injury would have complicated his stock. He can improve his standing in the eyes of professional evaluators by playing another season of college football and demonstrating that he's fully recovered from the injury. He can also earn another seven-figure NIL payday, which is significant for a player whose NFL future is anything but certain amid what's been a rockier than expected collegiate journey.
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