Jaden Rashada alleges Billy Napier violated Florida contract in amended complaint
In an amended complaint filed by Jaden Rashada this week, the Georgia quarterback alleges Florida coach Billy Napier violated his employment contract and Florida’s NIL statute.
The lawsuit centers around the four-year, $13.85 million contract that played a crucial role in Rashada flipping his commitment from Miami to Florida in November 2022.
Filed back in May, the lawsuit alleges that the Gators ultimately reneged on the unprecedented NIL collective agreement, leaving the quarterback without a school and out millions of dollars. The suit alleges Napier vouched that Rashada would be paid $1 million if he signed on National Signing Day in 2022.
“Napier’s promised financial inducement violated Florida’s NIL statute, NCAA regulations, and, on information and belief, the terms of Napier’s employment contract,” Rashada’s attorneys allege in the amended complaint.
Napier is a defendant in the suit along with former Florida staffer Marcus Castro-Walker and UF booster Hugh Hathcock. All have previously filed motions to dismiss which have been denied because the amended complaint was filed on time. Updated responses are due Aug. 27.
Represented by the Bedell Firm, Napier’s motion stated the complaint did not provide evidence the coach knew about the contract between Rashada, his NIL agents and the NIL collective.
“I’m comfortable with my actions,” Napier said at SEC Spring Meetings in May. “‘I’m thankful for the university’s support, and we’re going to keep it at that and let the process take its course.”
Jaden Rashada: Hugh Hathcock offered $11 million NIL deal
In the amended complaint filed, Rashada also alleges that he and his family met with Castro-Walker in June 2022 in a conference room at UF’s athletic facility.
“Upon entering the meeting room, Castro-Walker informed Jaden’s father, Harlen, that one of UF’s biggest boosters was there that day and that he wanted to speak with Jaden. Castro-Walker explained that Hathcock was there to drop off his Lamborghini for a photoshoot, but ‘you didn’t see him,’ acknowledging the forbidden yet undeniable affiliation between Hathcock and UF’s football program.”
The complaint says Hathcock then entered the back door and allegedly later told Castro-Walker that “Hathcock would make happen” whatever was needed from an NIL standpoint. According to the complaint, Hathcock also suggested that he could secure employment for Rashada’s father.
“Later that summer, Hathcock offered Jaden an approximately $11 million UF-affiliated NIL deal,” the filing states. “This offer was to be funded partially through Defendant Velocity Automotive and partially through Gator Guard.”
The new filing allegedly describes how Florida flipped him and “promised” a $13.85 million deal over four years.
“Throughout these discussions, Hathcock’s representations to Jaden’s agents, which were later communicated to him, led Jaden to believe that Castro-Walker had the authority to negotiate the NIL agreement that Hathcock and Velocity Automotive would fund,” the complaint states.
Rashada ultimately requested for his National Letter of Intent to be released and landed at Arizona State. He’s since transferred to Georgia, playing for Florida’s arch-rival. Sources told On3 in May that Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was aware of the lawsuit being filed and signed off on it.
“Given his close relationship with coach Napier and the UF football program, it is implausible that Hathcock would agree to pay Jaden, among the 28 other similarly-ranked quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class, without being instructed by Napier to do so,” the filing states.