Who’s Next for Tennessee Football at Quarterback?

Tennessee football is officially entering a new era — and not the one many expected.

Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, once hailed as the future of the Volunteers program, has entered the NCAA transfer portal following a breakdown in NIL negotiations with Tennessee.

Iamaleava's absence from recent spring practices had fueled growing speculation, and now the move is official: Tennessee’s quarterback room looks dramatically different heading into the 2025 season.

With Iamaleava gone, Tennessee’s immediate quarterback outlook is focused on two scholarship players:

Jake Merklinger

A redshirt freshman from the 2024 class, Merklinger saw limited game action last season but has drawn praise from the coaching staff for his preparation and football IQ. However, the Savannah, Georgia native remains untested in SEC competition.

George MacIntyre

The Volunteers' prized four-star recruit from the 2025 class, MacIntyre enrolled early and participated in spring practice. While MacIntyre offers long-term upside, Tennessee would face significant risk turning to a true freshman as its Week 1 starter in the SEC.

With the spring NCAA transfer portal window opening on Wednesday, Tennessee is expected to be aggressive in exploring available quarterbacks.

Two early names to watch? UCF’s Dylan Rizk and Florida State’s Trever Jackson — both of whom have been reported as entering the transfer portal and could draw interest from the Volunteers.

Rizk, a redshirt sophomore, started the final four games for UCF in 2023, completing 61.5% of his passes for 904 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 43 rushing yards on 29 carries. According to Pete Nakos of On3, Rizk plans to explore transfer opportunities this spring, while Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report noted that Tennessee is "doing due diligence" on the former Knights quarterback.

Meanwhile, Jackson, a redshirt freshman at Florida State, joined the Seminoles in 2024 after originally committing to Ole Miss as a four-star recruit. Ranked as the No. 26 quarterback nationally by 247Sports, Jackson advanced to the Elite 11 Finals and won the event’s Rail Shot Challenge. He made his Florida State debut last season in a 41-7 win over Charleston Southern while spending the majority of the year redshirting and working as the scout team quarterback.

What’s Next for Tennessee?

Iamaleava's departure marks one of the most stunning storylines of the offseason and leaves Tennessee searching for answers in the most important position group on the field.

With Merklinger and MacIntyre on campus — and the transfer portal heating up — head coach Josh Heupel and his staff will need to navigate this critical reset quickly.

The portal officially opens on Wednesday, April 16, setting the stage for Tennessee’s next move in the rapidly changing world of college football.