UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava has been named to the 45-man Walter Camp 2025 Player of the Year Watch List, according to an announcement by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Monday.
Iamaleava is the first UCLA player to be included on the preseason Walter Camp watch list since Josh Rosen in 2017. Defensive end Laiatu Latu, who played at UCLA from 2022 to 2023, was a semifinalist for the award last year before being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by Indianapolis.
This marks Iamaleava’s second appearance on a preseason watch list ahead of the 2024 season. He was previously named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, which recognizes college football’s most outstanding player.
Iamaleava, originally from Long Beach, California, transferred to UCLA after two seasons at Tennessee. While starting for Tennessee, he led the team to an 11-3 record and a College Football Playoff berth in 2024. Last season he completed 213-of-334 passes (63.8%) for 2,616 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions. He recorded over 299 yards of total offense in three games: UT-Chattanooga (320), Kentucky (306), and Vanderbilt (299). Iamaleava ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with six completions of more than 50 yards.
As a true freshman in 2023, Iamaleava played five games as Tennessee’s backup quarterback. In his first career start during the 2024 Citrus Bowl against Iowa, he totaled 178 yards of offense and four touchdowns, earning MVP honors.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list will be reduced to ten semifinalists in early November and three finalists will be named in December. The winner will be announced during ESPN’s College Football Awards Show on December 12.
UCLA begins its 2025 football season at home against Utah at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena on August 30 at 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
