Billy Napier explains how Jaden Rashada lawsuit impacts current recruiting

Billy Napier opened up on the Jaden Rashada lawsuit and what it’s done to Florida’s current recruiting base and landscape.

However, despite the lawsuit and Napier’s comments on the exact situation, he’s used to any type of narrative.

“A lot of this narrative has been out there for a long time,” Napier said at the SEC meetings. “I think we got that question two years ago, or a year and a half ago … So, look, we’re gonna keep moving forward. I mean, this process has been ongoing. I think, ultimately, the NCAA process. So you know, we can’t say much more than that. 

“I think ultimately, we have to treat all parts of our organization, recruits, families, we have to treat them just like we treat the media. So the big thing is … I mean, just real thankful for the university support. And we’ve got confidence in our legal team.”

As far as his response to negative headlines surrounding the program, Napier brushed it off a bit. He was confident in his program, staff, players and people within the Gators’ circle.

“I mean, ultimately, we’ve got a staff and an organization that’s worked really hard,” Napier said. “And we’ve added 35 players to our team, 20 high school players, 15 transfer players, and we wouldn’t have been able to do that if we didn’t have a healthy culture. If we didn’t have really good systems, and we didn’t have a good product to sell. So again, I think it’s all part of what we’ve been working for two and a half years here to improve, consistently, all parts of what we do. 

“And I think our ability to add quality players to our team is a reflection of that. There’s a difference between outside narrative and what people experience when they come to our campus. They interact with our people, they observe our processes, and I think that’s been proven throughout the recruiting process.”

The Gators head coach was named a defendant in the lawsuit filed Tuesday morning in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida that claims Rashada was repeatedly lied to for him to flip his commitment from Miami to Florida. Among the allegations, the suit states Napier promised Rashada $1 million if the quarterback signed his National Letter of Intent on early National Signing Day in 2022.

Former Florida director of NIL and player engagement Marcus Castro-Walker and booster Hugh Hathcock were also named as defendants in the suit. Hathcock’s former company, Velocity Automotive, was named, too.