In 2023, Florida football earned a commitment from fringe five-star quarterback Jaden Rashada following a falling out with the Miami Hurricanes. However, before the start of spring workouts, Rashada demanded his release from the program, citing an issue with a $13.85 million NIL deal.
Rashada ultimately left Florida, landing with the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he threw four touchdowns against three picks. Rashada, the sixth-ranked QB in the 2023 class per 247Sports , departed for the Georgia Bulldogs in the subsequent offseason. He operated in a reserve role and did not play even with starting quarterback Carson Beck missing the end of the season.
Rashada entered the transfer portal in early January and, on Friday, committed to the Sacramento State Hornets of the FCS.
While competing in the Big Sky last season, Sacramento State went a brutal 3-9, including securing just one win in conference play. Although struggling to win games, quarterback Carson Conklin threw for 2,858 yards, 28 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Rashada will likely compete with Conklin to become the starting quarterback.
Rashada's time with Florida was short-lived but clouded in controversy. The lengthy passer sued current Gators head coach Billy Napier after his multi-million dollar NIL deal did not come to fruition. Rashada became the first athlete to seek judicial help regarding an NIL dispute.
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Savion Hiter is an elite 2026 running back recruit and he had a chance to choose to play his college ball just about anywhere in the country. With nearly 30 offers in hand, Hiter, from Mineral, Virginia, had narrowed his interest list down to four schools: Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee and Georgia. It was the Wolverines who ultimately won this big-time recruiting battle, as Hiter announced his commitment to Sherrone Moore and his staff on Tuesday. “Michigan has a lot of tradition and history of winning, and the running backs run similar plays to what I’m used to so I could definitely see myself in that offense,” Hiter told Rivals in the past regarding the Wolverines. This will go down as a massive commitment for Moore and his staff. Not only was OSU on the other end of this thing, but beating out Georgia and Tennessee is easier said than done, even for Michigan. According to the 247Sports Composite, Hiter is ranked as the No. 1 running back recruit in the 2026 class and the No. 9 player overall. Running backs coach Tony Alford played a big role in getting Hiter to lean Michigan's way. He, along with Moore, made an impact with the five-star. “Coach Alford, he’s a great coach,” Hiter has said in the past. “He knows how to coach 'em right. He has a great relationship with all his running backs. (Alford) knows how to coach 'em up. “(Coach Moore) has plenty of great years to come. The whole staff makes it feel like home every time I’m there.” Checking in at nearly 6-foot, 200 pounds, Hiter rushed for 1,698 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior for Louisa County High School.
The Chicago Bears don’t appear satisfied with their running back room with one week left to decide the 53-man roster. The Bears have until Aug. 26 to make their final cuts before preparing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. The Bears entered training camp with questions at running back. Veteran D’Andre Swift had a down year in 2024. Roschon Johnson isn’t a long-term solution, and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai will have a steep learning curve when the regular season begins. The Chicago Bears worked out a former running back Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Bears worked out running backs Royce Freeman, undrafted rookie Kylin James and former Carolina Panthers practice-squad player Dillon Johnson. Royce Freeman played with the Bears in 2024 Of the three, Freeman is the only running back with stats at the NFL level. Freeman, a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, has appeared in 79 games and started nine games. He’s rushed 471 times for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bears signed Freeman to the practice squad in December. He was then signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in January. He last played a regular-season game in 2023, when he added 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams. The Bears are signaling their need for a running back this summer. There are other options available in the trade market, as the Washington Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson Jr. during the preseason. More running backs will be available after other teams trim their rosters to 53 players, but they might not be the type of athletes to make a significant boost for the offense early in the regular season.
The New York Giants have one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the NFL, and there has been speculation that Jameis Winston could be the odd man out when the regular season begins. It does not sound like Winston is going anywhere, however. Russell Wilson is expected to be the Giants' starting quarterback in Week 1. The big question is whether Jaxson Dart or Winston will enter the year as Wilson's primary backup. Dart has played well through two preseason games, and Brian Daboll and his coaching staff have raved about the former Ole Miss star. Some have wondered if the Giants could entertain trade offers for Winston should they decide they view Dart as their No. 2 quarterback. Assistant general manager Brandon Brown was asked about that on Tuesday, and he all but ruled it out. "I appreciate people that are interested, but Jameis is a New York Giant. The way that he's gone about his business from day one, he's made it very intentional of the fact that he wants to be here and he wants to be here for the long haul," Brown said. "Teammates love him. His preparation process, whether it's the off-field things that he does in terms of community relations, Bible studies, things in the locker room, galvanizing the group together — not just the quarterback room, but the offense as a whole. "He's been comic relief, but he's also been a really good example of how to be a pro and handle your business in terms of prehab, rehab and postgame care. So, I'm happy he's here, and he's gonna continue to do those things. He hasn't wavered, and he hasn't been shaken by any distractions at all." Winston signed a two-year, $8M contract with the Giants in free agency this offseason. The deal could climb as high as $16M with incentives, but he would need to play quite a bit to hit those. The Giants value Winston's extensive experience, just as they value Dart's upside. There is a reason they signed both Wilson and Winston and traded up to draft Dart. They believe in all three players, and they likely will not be inclined to trade Winston unless they receive an excellent offer.
Speculation linking Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers continues to gain momentum as the star’s holdout amid stalled contract negotiations seems as far apart as ever. Parsons, two weeks ago, publicly requested a trade and continues to hold-in during Cowboys training camp, while there is a belief that Green Bay is attempting to pull off a blockbuster trade. Potential Packers-Micah Parsons Blockbuster Trade Package Parsons, 26, has posted 52.5 sacks through his first four seasons and is one of the most dominant players at his position. He is the kind of difference-maker who could cement Green Bay as a legitimate Super Bowl contender for years to come. But prying Parsons away from the Cowboys wouldn’t come cheap. "You’d want to hope to trade no more than three good young players for one elite player," an NFL executive and former general manager said to me recently of what a Parsons trade package might look like. Given that strategy, it isn’t difficult to envision Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offering a package of players and picks that looks something like: Packers Trade: 2026 first-round NFL Draft choice, 2027 first-round draft choice, WR Romeo Doubs, EDGE Lukas Van Ness Cowboys Trade: Micah Parsons Trading two first-round picks is likely the starting point for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys in any Parsons negotiations. For the Packers, trading Van Ness would be offering a change of scenery for a former first-round draft choice who has yet to live up to expectations, and upgrading the position with a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player. Meanwhile, shipping Doubs to Dallas clears a logjam at wide receiver, while helping the Cowboys round out a balanced receiving corps that would include CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Doubs as perhaps the most prolific collection of talent Dak Prescott has had in his career. Whether Parsons’ trade request is anything more than posturing remains to be seen, but if the Cowboys open up trade talks, this package could be the kind of trade that nets Green Bay a difference-maker.
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