Paul Finebaum has some strong words for Nico Iamaleava. The veteran analyst isn't the biggest fan of the former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback ahead of the 2025 college football season.According to Athlon Sports, Paul Finebaum spoke about the current UCLA Bruins quarterback on a recent episode of his show, “The Paul Finebaum Show.” Finebaum said too much emphasis is being placed on Nico Iamaleava’s departure."I didn’t think Nico was ever what everyone made him out to be. He was good, not great. (He was) Serviceable," Finebaum said.It's not the first time that Finebaum has criticized the former five-star recruit. The veteran SEC analyst spoke about Iamaleava after he entered the transfer portal. He said:"I would stay away from him. Buyer, beware of this guy. It is not even Nico; it is the whole apparatus. Nico is not personally in the middle of these negotiations. Team Nico is. There is a toxic feeling about this player due to the attention and because he is the one everyone is talking about. I would be very careful."Nico Iamaleava appears on watch lists entering 2025Nico Iamaleava's Heisman Trophy odds might have torpedoed after joining the UCLA Bruins, but that hasn't stopped major awards from highlighting him as the one to watch. Two notable awards have listed him on their watch lists. These are the Walter Camp Award and Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List.Iamaleava is part of a 36-player Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List for 2025. He's notably the first UCLA Bruin to appear on the preseason watch list since Dorian Thompson-Robinson did in 2022.It doesn't stop there. Iamaleava has been named to the 2025 Walter Camp Award Watch List. He's one of 45 players to get listed by the prestigious award. No UCLA Bruins quarterback has made the preseason list since Josh Rosen did in 2017.Nico Iamaleava will look to prove Paul Finebaum and other detractors wrong. His journey as starting quarterback has just begun, and his first game of the regular season will be against the Utah Utes. Other crucial regular season games include fixtures against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans.