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Jaden Rashada's NIL lawsuit against Billy Napier will cause new nightmares for coaches
© Matt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jaden Rashada's NIL lawsuit against Billy Napier will cause new nightmares for coaches

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Rock Westfall  |  Last updated 5/21/24

By Rock Westfall 

Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada is suing Florida head coach Billy Napier and a Florida booster for fraud after an alleged NIL deal of almost $14 million fell through. Originally, Rashada was to sign with the Miami Hurricanes for a $9.5 million package. But Florida continued to aggressively pursue Rashada, luring him away from The U. Led by mega booster Hugh Hathcock, the Gators upped the ante and convinced Rashada to commit to Florida instead. But Florida is alleged to have later reneged on the deal.

The suit includes allegations that Rashada never received a promised $500,000 bonus payment. It is alleged that Hathcock and Napier repeatedly assured Rashada that he would be paid the bonus, but he never was.

After the fallout at Florida, Rashada, a 4-Star and Top-100 prospect out of Pittsburgh High School in Pittsburgh, California, committed to Arizona State for a brief period before transferring to Georgia, an arch-rival of the Gators.  

Rashada has retained famed and feared powerhouse sports attorney Rusty Hardin for his case. Previously, Hardin represented such notable stars as baseball’s Roger Clemens and football’s Warren Moon and Deshaun Watson. 

High-Pressure Tactics in Win At All Costs & Lawless NIL World 

Billy Napier was already feeling the heat of a 5-7 first season at Florida. In order to quickly change the narrative, Napier knew that he needed a strong recruiting class with big-name talent. It is alleged that Napier put the maximum amount of pressure on Rashada and Florida boosters to close a commitment deal by any means necessary.

Since the deal fell through, both sides have been preparing for this day. The lawsuit is not a bombshell to Florida or Napier. What is interesting is that the University of Florida is not specifically named in the suit. Instead, it is Napier and Hathcock who are named.

Hardin issued a powerful statement that will have ramifications throughout the college football world and with coaches:

“Sadly, this type of fraud is becoming more commonplace in the Wild West that is today’s college NIL landscape. Wealthy alumni, consumed by their schools’ athletic programs, are taking advantage of young people by offering them life-changing sums of money, only to renege on their commitments.

“As the first scholar-athlete to take a stand against this egregious behavior, Jaden seeks to hold these defendants accountable for their actions and to expose their as-yet unchecked abuse of power.”

Numerous warnings about college football's current lawlessness have been issued over the past few months. The House vs. NCAA case is likely to be the pivotal and defining moment of reformation or bankruptcy for college sports. The Rashada case is the latest example of what can go wrong when there are no rules and why the NCAA must settle the House case as a way of gaining future structure. 

Another Reason for College Coaches to Lose Sleep & Consider the NFL Alternative

One reason Nick Saban retired was the lack of rules regarding NIL and the transfer portal. The Rashada case is a perfect example of how the Nicktator got out while the getting was good. While Saban can seem ham-handed and out of touch with his comments regarding today’s state of college football, he's usually a lot more right than he is wrong.

So, too, is Dabo Swinney looking great today. Currently, Swinney is taking all kinds of heat for coming up empty in the transfer portal. But he's recruiting well so far in his 2025 class and is not facing a multi-million dollar NIL fraud lawsuit. Score one for the good guys.

Also smelling like a rose today is Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule and his demanding take-it-or-leave-it culture. Rhule makes it clear Nebraska will offer prospects NIL, full developmental support, and the state motto of “The Good Life” but that players will earn everything they get. Like Swinney, Rhule is not out chasing mercenaries from the portal but instead developing his own culture and “Rhules.”

College football coaches continue to burn the candle at both ends with a ludicrous calendar that makes absolutely no sense. They face the demands of an instant gratification fan culture that screams 24/7/365 on X and message boards. This year’s expanded 12-team College Football Playoff will increase the heat on coaches. Also, according to Saban, coaches are perpetually dealing with prospects who are demanding to know what they will be paid before anything else is discussed. Now, college football coaches face the potential of being personally sued if an NIL deal falls apart.

Is it any wonder that college coaches are saying, “To hell with this,” and either retiring or looking to move to the NFL?

Sadly, the worst of this is yet to come. 

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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