Bill Belichick might be looking to land his first high-profile quarterback transfer at North Carolina, but that quarterback reportedly will not be Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava is transferring from Tennessee after the two sides decided to part ways over an NIL dispute. The redshirt sophomore will immediately become the best quarterback available when the spring transfer portal window opens on Wednesday.
There were early indications that North Carolina was among the schools with interest in Iamaleava, but it does not sound like the Tar Heels will enter the mix for him. Pete Nakos of On3 reported on Monday that Belichick is not planning to pursue Iamaleava.
Nakos says North Carolina is instead focused on South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez, who threw for 2,559 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions last season.
Iamaleava should draw interest from plenty of programs, but landing him would be very costly. He was reportedly set to make $2.4M with his NIL deal in 2025 but is seeking $4M. North Carolina and other programs may not be ready to commit that much money to one player.
Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdown passes and five interceptions in his first season as a full-time starter last season. He also rushed for 358 yards and three scores. Iamaleava helped lead Tennessee to the College Football Playoff.
