Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava lands on unique top 10 list and it's a great thing for the Vols when it comes to recruiting

Tennessee Vols redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava landed on a unique top 10 list this week that should only help the UT football program when it comes to recruiting.

On3 revealed their " Top 10 On3 NIL Valuations " on Wednesday and Iamaleava came in at No. 10, behind names like Georgia's Carson Beck and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

According to On3, Iamaleava's On3 valuation is $1.2 million (On3 also notes that Iamaleava has 345k social media followers).

From On3 : Nico Iamaleava enters Year One as the full-time starter at Tennessee. The former No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class according to On3 made national news not only for his pledge but also because of his NIL opportunities. As The Athletic has since reported, Iamaleava reportedly signed a deal with Spyre Sports Group in which he could make $8 million over three years.

Now he’s in Knoxville and ready to start the season. He was officially named Tennessee’s starter earlier this week. As a true freshman, he appeared in four regular-season games where he completed 16 of his 26 pass attempts for 163 yards and a touchdown, including a start in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

The fact that Iamaleava is on this list alongside some of the biggest names in college football, despite having only one career collegiate start, shows what a high-profile gig the quarterback position at Tennessee has become under Josh Heupel.

Iamaleava's inclusion on this list, essentially, shows what's possible for top recruits who come to Tennessee.

Now, players still have to perform at a high level. Iamaleava won't be on this list a year from now if he has a down season in 2024.

But if recruits can live up to the hype and handle business the right way away from the field, the NIL cash will be aplenty on Rocky Top.

Tennessee, like many successful programs around the country (Georgia, LSU, etc), isn't on the recruiting trail handing out blank checks to every recruit with five stars by their name. The Vols aren't chasing recruits who are just looking for the highest bidder.

NIL, however, is still extremely important for programs like Tennessee. And Iamaleava's inclusion on this list from On3 shows that playing at Tennessee brings plenty of NIL opportunities.

Related: Chattanooga coach references Tennessee's Jim Mora controversy from last season ahead of season-opener against Vols