Florida's Billy Napier files motion to dismiss in Jaden Rashada suit

After former Florida staffer Marcus Castro-Walker and UF booster Hugh Hathcock filed motions to dismiss Jaden Rashada’s suit Tuesday, Gators’ head coach Billy Napier also filed a motion to dismiss.

The lawsuit centers around the one-time Florida quarterback commit claiming he was repeatedly lied to for him to flip his commitment from Miami to Florida. He also signed a four-year, $13.85 million contract with the Gator Collective that was later voided.

In a 29-page motion filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, the third-year head coach argues nothing in the complaint from Rashada “supports the notion that Napier participated in any wrongdoing.” Represented by the Bedell Firm, Napier’s motion also stated the complaint did not provide evidence the coach knew about the contract between Rashada, his NIL agents and the NIL collective.

“The timing of the events alleged in the Complaint shows that Napier could not have ‘fraudulently induce[d] Jaden to abandon his $9.5 million Miami deal,'” the motion states. “Rashada had already abandoned that deal by November 10, 2022 – more than a month before Napier’s alleged involvement. For that reason, among others, the Complaint fails to state a claim against Napier.”

Jaden Rashada’s first payment was scheduled for Dec. 5, 2022, in the amount of $500,000 – a signing bonus, sources previously told On3. That payment never materialized, despite multiple reassurances, according to case documents. On Dec. 6, the day after the bonus was due, the Gator Collective terminated the contract in a letter sent to Rashada, sources told On3. 

On National Signing Day on Dec. 21, 2022, the quarterback had still not received a payment, according to the case. Rashada delayed the signature of his National Letter of Intent. 

“These actions culminated with Coach Napier himself vouching that UF alumni were good on their promise that Jaden would receive $1 million if he signed with UF on National Signing Day,” Rashada’s initial complaint stated. “Defendant Castro-Walker leveraged the coach’s promise that Napier would ‘get it done,’ and threatened – on National Signing Day – that, if Jaden did not sign a national letter of intent with UF, Coach Napier might walk away from Jaden entirely.

“Despite the threats and promises, neither Coach Napier nor wealthy boosters like Hathcock ever ‘got it done’ for Jaden.”

Napier and his attorneys pushed back on the claims Tuesday.

“The Complaint does not say whether – much less how – the alleged statement was ever relayed to Rashada. It does not allege that Rashada’s father told him about it – only that he told the NIL agents, [Jackson] Zager and [Tommy] Thomsen. And the Complaint does not reveal what, if anything, Zager and Thomsen told Rashada about Napier’s alleged statement.”

The filing concludes by calling for a dismissal, citing that Rashada’s claims are barred by sovereign immunity.

Viewed as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 cycle, Rashada boasted a strong arm with plenty of upside. He’s now at Georgia after transferring this offseason from Arizona State.

Billy Napier and Florida open the 2024 season on Aug. 31, hosting rival Miami.