Jaden Rashada NIL lawsuit update, Florida on the hook for record $13.85 million?

Judge M. Casey Rodgers ruled this week that Rashada’s fraud and conspiracy claims against Florida head coach Billy Napier, former staffer Marcus Castro-Walker, and booster Hugh Hathcock can move forward to discovery. The court dismissed other claims but determined the fraud allegations are compelling enough to proceed, noting that the defendants appeared to act in lockstep to lure Rashada from Miami—despite knowing the NIL deal would collapse.

Rashada’s lawsuit alleges Napier promised a $1 million upfront payment to his father when the letter of intent was signed—money that never materialized. The filing paints Hathcock, founder of Velocity Automotive, as the booster who assured the Rashada family that “whatever NIL compensation package was needed” would be delivered.

“Rather than make Jaden ‘rich’ as promised… they changed their tune,” the complaint reads. After signing, the promised NIL funds dried up. Rashada withdrew from Florida, played sparingly at Arizona State, transferred to Georgia, and now sits in the transfer portal—his college career in limbo.

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This lawsuit isn’t just about one player’s deal gone wrong—it’s a first-of-its-kind case that could redefine how NIL agreements are enforced. Rashada’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, calls it a “North Star” for athletes misled in the high-stakes NIL marketplace.

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With discovery now on the horizon, the court will examine what promises were made—and who was responsible for breaking them. For Florida’s program and the broader NIL landscape, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

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