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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Quarterback Madden Iamaleava, an ESPN top-100 recruit and the younger brother of projected Tennessee starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, committed to UCLA on Saturday night.
Madden Iamaleava, ranked No. 83 among 2025 recruits and No. 7 among prospects from California, is the first major recruit for new UCLA coach DeShaun Foster. The four-star prospect posted on social media Friday that Oregon had offered a scholarship, and he had received interest from Nebraska and other major programs.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Iamaleava passed for 3,626 yards, 43 touchdowns and four interceptions in his first season as a starter for Warren High School in Downey, California, where he backed up Nico in 2022.
UCLA saw quarterback Dante Moore, ESPN’s No. 2 overall recruit in 2023, transfer to Oregon in December, after starting five games last fall. Veteran Ethan Garbers returns for this coming season, but the Bruins will have an opening when Iamaleava arrives in 2025.
The Bruins also signed three-star quarterback recruits Karson Gordon and Henry Hasselbeck in December and added Dermaricus Davis, a transfer from Washington, earlier this month.
Nico Iamaleava was ESPN’s No. 23 overall recruit in 2023, and had 314 passing yards and two touchdowns, plus three rushing touchdowns, in his freshman season with the Volunteers.