FORT WORTH, Texas — Nico Iamaleava stood at the 50-yard line of Amon G. Carter Stadium at TCU on Saturday wearing black joggers, Carolina Blue Jordan 4’s, a white T-shirt and a Long Beach State hat. But this wasn’t his day.
At the same time, Nico’s father, Nicholaus, was having a conversation with a few assistant coaches from Arizona State while wearing a Tennessee backpack. This wasn’t his day, either.
Iamaleava has become one of the most recognizable names in the 2023 recruiting class, not only because he’s a five-star quarterback from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly who is committed to Tennessee. It’s also not because he’s a 6-foot-5 prospect with a towering presence. It’s because of the constant speculation that he is the $8 Million Man, the prospect who signed a deal with a collective that could pay out that much money by the end of his junior year of college. Iamaleava’s name is usually found in the same sentence as the three most talked about letters in college football these days — NIL.
But Saturday at the TCU mega camp — officially named the DFW Showcase, with nearly 4,000 campers participating — wasn’t about Nico Iamaleava, his father or NIL speculation. This was about the next Nico. This was about his younger brother, Madden Iamaleava, who appears poised to emerge as a coveted quarterback prospect in the 2025 class.
This was a day in which recruiting was like how it used to be before every conversation involved financial discussions. This was Madden, a young quarterback with a live arm, showcasing his talent to coaches who are there to identify young prospects. It was pure. It was a kid, a football, spectators and throwing drills.
“He’s next,” Nico said with a smile. “I don’t think it. I know it.”
Nicholaus flew his sons to Fort Worth so Madden could participate in the camp. Why? Because what better place to take his sophomore son for a workout while also mingling with more than 50 coaching staffs from across the country? There were Power 5 schools such as Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Arkansas USC and Michigan, among others, as well as Ivy League schools such as Dartmouth and Harvard. There was something for everyone, and this was Madden’s chance to prove that he’s not just the younger brother of the famous five-star.
But it’s not as though Madden, who is Nico’s backup at Poly, is unknown in recruiting circles. He already has offers from Tennessee, Pittsburgh, San Diego State and, as of this weekend, Arkansas State.
“And we plan on leaving here with a few more offers,” Nicholaus quipped after Saturday’s performance.
The main event of the camp took place at midfield, where Madden and other quarterbacks worked out for TCU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley. Madden, wearing a white T-shirt and with his hair bunned up behind a white hat, was throwing darts and had a presence and confidence about him that was difficult not to notice. Coaches gravitated to him as he was throwing, and it almost seemed like this could be one of those days the family looks back at as the turning point in his recruitment.
“It was a great experience to come out to Texas and throw in this stadium,” Madden said. “I embrace it. All of these colleges are here for a reason, and I felt like I wanted to put a show on for these coaches. That was me putting on a show for them.”
Madden looks at what his older brother has accomplished and wants to experience it for himself. You can insert any joke you want about the hypothetical payday Nico is about to realize, but Madden wants to be one of the top quarterbacks in the country in his class. He wants the big-time offers, the big-time visits and, of course, the big-time NIL deal. This is America. People want the whole package.
But no school — or collective — wants to give an NIL deal to someone who can’t play or didn’t put in the work.
This family understands that more than anyone. You can get a sense of who the recruiting veterans are at these camps, and Nicholaus is certainly one of them. While he stood on the sidelines as a spectator minding his own business, Nicholaus was the constant recipient of handshakes and hugs. He didn’t have five minutes of quiet time the entire day. The man knows how to work a room, which certainly will help Madden as he navigates the recruiting game.
“We’ve never been to a mega camp before, so it was good to have Madden come out here and compete,” Nicholaus said. “He is on his own trail and creating his own path. He’s going to flap his wings, man. It’s important to allow him to be showcased. A lot of these coaches that don’t recruit (out) west were able to get eyes on him.”
Nico has been an instrumental piece of Madden’s development.
“Nico being such a great kid, son and brother, he has been really helpful,” Nicholaus said. “There’s only so many things dad can say, you know, and then Nico comes in after and really helps out with that. … Madden has a cheat code with Nico. Madden is ahead of the game. He knows more tricks of the trade than any normal 2025 kid does. Madden is a little further along in the game than Nico was as a freshman.
“Nico’s grounded, which also helps with Madden. Our Polynesian background and culture — we don’t allow nobody to be bigger than the program. Nico knows his role. He’s still a kid. He still takes out the trash, mows the lawn, has chores at home. It doesn’t matter if you are committed to Tennessee or in the league, you still have yours to do.”
Madden still has his to do.
But Iamaleava should be a name you’ll keep hearing in recruiting circles for at least a few more years.
(Photos: Ari Wasserman / The Athletic)
The Link LonkJune 06, 2022 at 12:50AM
https://theathletic.com/3350118/2022/06/05/nico-iamaleava-recruiting-camp/
Nico Iamaleava’s little brother, a mega camp and a name that’s here to stay - The Athletic
https://news.google.com/search?q=little&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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