UAA will provide for Billy Napier's personal counsel in Jadan Rashada's lawsuit
A spokesperson for the University of Florida athletic department said Monday it had no comment on the lawsuit filed earlier in the day by one-time Gators quarterback commit Jadan Rashada against Florida coach Billy Napier. But it appears the school won’t leave Napier out on his own.
“We do not comment on ongoing litigation, and neither the University Athletic Association nor the University are named in the complaint,” Florida athletic department spokesman Steve McClain said in a release. “The UAA will provide for Coach Napier’s personal counsel, and we will direct all questions to those representatives.”
Rashada, once a touted QB recruit now is at Georgia after spending his freshman year at Arizona State. Per Pete Nakos of On3, Rashada “filed a 37-page complaint Tuesday morning in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida that claims he was repeatedly lied to for him to flip his commitment from Miami to Florida. “
Billy Napier was one of 3 people named in the lawsuit
Napier, former Florida director of NIL and player engagement Marcus Castro-Walker and prominent Gators booster Hugh Hathcock were named as defendants.
According to Nakos, “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 said. “Defendants knew that for most college athletes the prospect of NIL earnings is life changing. (The) Defendants exploited this fact for their own personal advantage.”
Nakos reported the drafting of the lawsuit has been a months-long process. Wrote Nakos: “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.”
You can read Nakos’ entire report HERE.
