Florida releases statement after Jaden Rashada sues Billy Napier
On Tuesday, Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada filed a federal lawsuit, alleging fraud against Florida head coach Billy Napier, recruiting staffer Marcus Castro-Walker, donor Hugh Hathcock and Velocity Automotive, the company Hathcock sold in 2023.
Later on Tuesday, Florida athletic department spokesman Steve McClain released a statement on the situation.
“We do not comment on ongoing litigation, and neither the University Athletic Association nor the University are named in the complaint,” McClain said, per On3’s Andy Staples. “The UAA will provide for Coach Napier’s personal counsel, and we will direct all questions to those representatives.”
Rashada was a four-star prospect in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. On June 26, 2022, Rashada committed to Miami. However, on November 10, 2022, Rashada signed a contract with The Gator Collective, which promised as much as $13.85 million to highly-touted recruit over four years.
Rashada officially announced he had flipped his commitment from Miami to Florida the next day. Just over a month later, the Gator Collective terminated the contract with Rashada. On Jan. 20, 2023, Florida released Rashada from his national letter of intent.
Rashada then committed to Arizona State, where he only made three appearances in the 2023 campaign due to injury. Rashada entered the transfer portal after the season and committed to Georgia on April 25. Now, Rashada is claiming he was repeatedly lied to for him to flip his commitment from Miami to Florida.
More on Jaden Rashada’s lawsuit against Florida staffers
Rashada is suing on counts of fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, negligent misrepresentations, tortious interference, aiding and abetting tortious interference and vicarious liability. The complaint is an unprecedented look into high-level NIL negotiations in college football.
“Defendants’ goals were two-fold: (1) to ensure Jaden remained committed to UF; and (2) to avoid paying the promised NIL funds,” the complaint states. “Defendants knew that for most college athletes the prospect of NIL earnings is life changing. Defendants exploited this fact for their own personal advantage.”
Sources tell On3 that the drafting of this lawsuit has been a months-long process. The University of Florida is not cited as a defendant, despite the school’s head coach and a former employee being named as defendants. Rashada has tapped attorney Rusty Hardin as counsel. Hardin has built a reputation for working with athletes, with former clients including Warren Moon, Roger Clemens and Deshaun Watson.