Nico Iamaleava Eyed as Next Star QB by CFB Fans After Tennessee's Win vs. Iowa

College football's next big thing has officially arrived, as Tennessee true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava had his coming out party on Monday in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

In his first career start, Iamaleava accounted for four touchdowns to help lead the No. 21 Vols to a 35-0 win over the No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes. He threw for 151 yards and a touchdown on 12-of-19 passing with no turnovers and added three rushing touchdowns in the victory.

Iamaleava was a 5-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2023, per 247Sports' composite. At 18 years old, he has shown that he already has a level of maturity well beyond his years by playing a clean game against an Iowa defense that ranked third in the nation with opponents averaging 13.2 points and fifth with 274.8 yards allowed per game. Tennessee should feel confident in having him as the program's quarterback of the future.

Fans on social media couldn't hold back their excitement after seeing Iamaleava's breakout performance on Monday:

Tennessee is one of the most storied college football programs in the nation, but it's been quite some time since the team was considered to be among the contenders for a national championship. If Iamaleava's debut performance is any indication, the Vols will have the chance to return to prominence within the next few years.

Iamaleava's presence means the future is bright in Tennessee, so fans should be excited to see his development over the course of his college career.