Jaden Rashada to miss Arizona State spring football due thumb surgery

Arizona State sophomore quarterback Jaden Rashada will be out for spring practice as he rehabs an injury to his throwing hand. On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed Rashada will be sidelined for some time.

Rashada reportedly had surgery on his thumb recently. The injury was not football related, according to Chris Karpman. Arizona State’s spring game is scheduled for Friday, April 26.

A source tells On3 that Rashada is out for the next two to three weeks. He could make a push to play in Arizona State’s spring game.

Rashada earned the job as the starting quarterback for the Sun Devils as a true freshman before injuries derailed most of his freshman campaign in 2023.

Rashada remains a key character in an infamous NIL case

More details began to emerge in recent weeks on the NCAA’s reported investigation into Florida. The inquiry centers on the Gators’ recruitment of Rashada, according to The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

Rashada initially committed to Miami, but signed with the Gators during the 2023 recruiting cycle. He was granted his release from his National Letter of Intent and later signed with Arizona State, where he played as a freshman in 2023.

On Friday, Tampa Bay Times initially reported UF received a notice of inquiry in June, but it didn’t include specifics.

Rashada’s recruitment took a few turns, On3 reported at the time. He said his plans were to arrive on campus in January 2023 with the early enrollees, but he ended up missing the add/drop period. Florida then granted his request for his release from his NLI, allowing him to eventually sign with Arizona State.

As Rashada went through the recruiting process, NIL played a big role. It was one of the variables when he was deciding on where he’d play college ball. The timing of the Tampa Bay Times report about the investigation into Florida comes about a week after the NCAA announced multiple punishments against Florida State for NIL-related infractions.

Seminoles offensive coordinator Alex Atkins was at the center of the investigation. He allegedly drove a transfer recruit to meet with the CEO of one of FSU’s NIL collectives, Rising Spear. All told, Atkins committed two Level II violations, and will serve a three-game suspension to start the 2024 season — the first related to a recruiting inducement in the NIL era.

In addition, Atkins received a two-year show cause from the NCAA as part of the sanctions, which were negotiated between the school and the NCAA.