Three Predictions: Nico Iamaleava, Jackson Cantwell, Brandon Arrington
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has predictions on Nico Iamaleava, Jackson Cantwell’s final destination and if Brandon Arrington will leave the West Coast.
IAMALEAVA IS STILL GOING TO BE A FIRST-ROUND PICK
By all accounts, former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava is done at Tennessee and will play at UCLA as he has been through the media ringer over the last week.
Believe what you want, but one side is saying Iamaleava was asking for $4 million, the other is saying issues around lack of development at the receiver and offensive line were major sticking points but either way, Iamaleava is out of Knoxville and is headed to Westwood.
Maybe some of the negative headlines hurt his draft stock down the road but his on-field performance won’t be an issue.
One could make a very valid argument that UCLA’s receiving corps is going to be better than at Tennessee this season with Kwazi Gilmer, Mikey Matthews and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala leading the way but Jaedon Wilson and Carter Shaw also making contributions. Notre Dame transfer Rico Flores Jr. should be back earlier in the season coming off an injury.
Tennessee’s receiving corps has been decimated by players going to the NFL Draft or transferring and from Iamaleava’s side, that group nor the offensive line showed much improvement through spring ball.
Iamaleava is immensely talented. Some point to his pedestrian numbers last season but that was his first year starting in the SEC, was sacked 28 times and wasn’t exactly throwing to Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka.
Transferring is not a knock anymore. Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Caleb Williams and so many other top quarterbacks transferred.
A fresh start at home will do Iamaleava good. And he has all the talent in the world to stay as a first-round draft pick.
CANTWELL IS GOING TO PICK OREGON
A final four of Miami, Ohio State, Georgia and Oregon has been named by five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell and his commitment date is now set for April 30.
The weekend before Cantwell’s decision, he will be back in Eugene and it certainly seems like that trip is to wrap up any loose ends and finalize everything headed into his decision.
Throughout his recruitment, the Nixa, Mo., standout has been the utmost pro when it’s come to handling things, steering clear of drama, staying focused on what he’s looking for and that’s development, getting to the NFL and finding the right fit both on and off the field.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has played up his connections to Missouri since he was born in the Kansas City area, the Ducks are pacing for another run at the national championship and while he has talked highly about all of his visits, Cantwell has given Oregon extra juice.
ARRINGTON WILL NOT LEAVE THE WEST COAST
In this prediction, I could be wrong and there are still many moving pieces especially with Texas A&M being a front-runner for the five-star athlete from Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel.
But I keep asking people close to Brandon Arrington whether the Aggies are the for-sure leader and I continue to be told that’s not the case while there is serious interest in Texas A&M.
Maybe Arrington doesn’t want to show his cards but there is significant interest in both USC and Oregon and there’s a sense that as things get closer to signing day that he stays closer to home and plays at one of those two Big Ten programs.
USC is pitching Arrington as the next big San Diego star for the Trojans like Reggie Bush. Oregon is always intriguing plus the track star has to be interested in all the Nike connections there.
Texas A&M is right in the thick of Arrington’s recruitment but staying closer to home is more likely right now.
