Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) exits the field after a game. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) exits the field after a Nov. 30, 2024 game in Nashville. (The Tennessean, via Imagn Images.)

Nico Iamaleava’s decision to enter the transfer portal over the weekend after reported NIL disagreements with the Tennessee Volunteers has dominated college football headlines lately. On Monday, longtime college football analyst Paul Finebaum joined the hot-take circus.

During an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on Fox 94.5 in Birmingham, Alabama, Finebaum shared his initial thoughts on the situation. He outlined how he believes Tennessee came out favorably after deciding not to cede to Iamaleava’s NIL demands. But he also acknowledged that he believes Iamaleava does still have a chance to produce wherever he ends up.

“I think from an early view of it, Tennessee fared incredibly well,” said Finebaum. “They are being credited and praised across the country for getting rid of him. Now, I’m still not sure they had a choice. He didn’t show up to practice, and he didn’t show up on Saturday. So they were done. In relation to this moment in time, I think it is a critical moment. I think it is an inflection point. I think we’re talking about one of the most important recent stories in college football history.

“In relation to Nico, I think it was inevitable based on all of the information that was floating out there that he was looking to leave and clearly did not feel like he was getting an appropriate deal. I think it turned out well for Nico. He’s got a chance to go somewhere else, wherever that is. Tennessee may have won the short-term battle. But they have the most obvious question facing them. Who is going to be their quarterback? And how effective is that person going to be?”

Later in his appearance, Finebaum was asked whether he believed that most quarterback-needy teams may be out on Iamaleava after leaving Tennessee high and dry.

Instead of answering what he thought teams around college football will do, Finebaum shared his own personal thoughts on what interested teams should do, advising them to “stay away from him”.

“I would stay away from him,” said Finebaum. “Buyer beware of this guy. It’s not even Nico. It’s the whole apparatus. Something tells me Nico personally is not personally in the middle of these negotiations. Team Nico is. I mean, there is a toxic feeling about this player because of the attention. Because he is the one everyone is talking about. I would be very careful.

“First of all, I mean, you guys are better evaluators than I am. But he’s a good quarterback. You know, how elite is he? I mean, if you don’t have a quarterback, he’s by far a better option than some guy who can barely get the signals in from the coach on the sideline. But I don’t think, in the short term, and that’s all we’re really talking about with him, he is going to make a significant difference.

“Can he help? Sure. We saw that with Tennessee. I mean, if you look at Tennessee’s schedule right now, a couple of games that were Tennessee favored, toss-up games are changing at the moment until Tennessee can clear that up. So, he can impact a football team. But, you also have to decide, what is the cost? Everywhere he goes, there is going to be this halo around him that says, ‘He held out. He asked for money. He’s a problem child. Stay away.'”

The question that quarterback-needy teams in the transfer portal will be asking themselves is whether Iamaleava’s talent ultimately overshadows what it means to bring the controversy that comes along with his name at the moment.

Ultimately, it appears at least one Power-Five conference team will determine that it does. But it’s also not completely certain at this point which team is the most likely to do so.

Programs are keeping their cards close to the vest when it comes to Iamaleava. And ultimately, as Finebaum alluded to, perhaps they should be cautious about taking a shot at him.

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.