Lawyers for Billy Napier file motion to dismiss lawsuit by Jaden Rashada
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Lawyers for Florida Gators‘ head coach Billy Napier, Hugh Hathcock, and Marcus Castro-Walker have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by former Florida signee, quarterback Jaden Rashada.
The lawsuit circles around a four-year, $13.85 million contract that played a crucial role in Rashada flipping his commitment from Miami to Florida in November 2022. According to court documents, the Gators ultimately reneged on the unprecedented NIL collective agreement, leaving the quarterback without a school and out millions of dollars. Rashad’s lawsuit was not filed as a breach of contract, which plausibly would make sense. Rather he is suing Napier, Hathcock, and Castro-Walker for fraud, something much more difficult to prove in court.
Rashada’s initial court filing claimed he was repeatedly lied to for him to flip his commitment from Miami to Florida. His lawsuit against Napier alleges the head coach promised Rashada $1 million if he signed his National Letter of Intent on early National Signing Day in 2022.
The lawsuit also alleges that the three plaintiffs conspired to get Rashada to leave an alleged $9.5 million contract he had in place with Miami and that Florida never intended to make good on their contract. In the motion to dismiss, attorney Hal Lewis makes this argument to dismiss the case against his client, Castro-Walker.
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“All of Castro-Walker’s communications with Jaden’s representatives were conducted in good faith and within the course and scope of his employment position at UF in an effort to recruit Jaden Rashada to attend UF. Castro-Walker occasionally passed messages back and forth between Jaden’s representatives and others, but Castro-Walker repeatedly made it clear to everyone that he was only acting as a conduit of information and was in no way acting as an agent or representative of any collective or individual. Castro-Walker knew that colleges were not allowed by the NCAA to use monetary “NIL” (Name, Image & Likeness) promises as inducements to convince prospective recruits to sign with their school, so Castro-Walker repeatedly included the following language in his communications with Jaden’s representatives: “I refuse to be involved in prospect dealing.”
“Accordingly, Castro-Walker may not be sued or named a party defendant to this action because nowhere in the complaint is it alleged or proven that Castro-Walker acted with the level of malice or evil intent necessary to take him outside the protection granted by Florida Statute §768.28(9)(a).”
Rashada hired attorney Rusty Hardin to represent him. Hardin has built a reputation for working with athletes, with former clients including Warren Moon, Roger Clemens and Deshaun Watson. Napier has brought on attorney Henry M. Coxe for representation, while Castro-Walker has retained the services of Halley B. Lewis. Hathcock has brought in attorney Jason W. Peterson.
