When the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” takes place during the upcoming college football season in Jacksonville, things could be extra spicy when the University of Florida Gators take on the University of Georgia Bulldogs as the two schools will be embroiled in a battle on the gridiron as well as a clash in the courtroom.
In a development that the NCAA cannot be happy about, Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada has filed a lawsuit alleging Gators coach Billy Napier and his program’s top booster promised him an NIL deal worth nearly $14 million to switch his commitment from the Miami Hurricanes to Florida, per The Athletic. Seeking a jury trial and damages of at least $10 million, Rashada’s suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, lists fraudulent misrepresentation and inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, negligent misrepresentations, and tortious inference with a business relationship or contract among the offenses allegedly committed by Napier and businessman booster Hugh Hathcock.
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Atlanta snagged the Heisman finalist with the No. 8 overall pick on Thursday nightAfter agreeing to come to Florida instead of Miami in exchange for signing a deal with the Gator Collective worth up to $13.85 million over four years with Napier’s blessing, which allegedly violated NCAA bylaws, Rashada found out the agreement had fallen through and wound up signing with Arizona State. He started the Sun Devils’ 2023 season-opener as a freshman, but only played two more games for Arizona State. Possibly seeking some football-related retribution, Rashada left Arizona for Florida’s biggest rival Georgia following his single season in Tempe.
“Sadly, this type of fraud is becoming more commonplace in the Wild West that is today’s college NIL landscape,” said Rashada’s attorney Rusty Hardin, who has represented a number of athletes, including Deshaun Watson, in more salacious court proceedings. “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.”
Per the court filing, Rashada’s commitment to Georgia was not based on any guarantees that were made to him with regard to NIL deals. “Similarly to his decision to attend Arizona State, Jaden’s decision to attend Georgia this year was not in response to any promises, assurances, or offers connected to NIL money,” the suit says. “He had learned his lesson.”
Now involved with his fourth college program, Rashada is expected to report to Georgia for workouts next month.
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