Judge Moves Forward With ex-Florida QB’s lawsuit against Napier and the Gators.

Judge Moves Forward With ex-Florida QB’s lawsuit against Napier and the Gators.

A federal judge has ruled that Jaden Rashada’s lawsuit against Florida head coach Billy Napier and others will proceed to the discovery phase, marking a significant development in one of the most talked-about NIL-related legal cases. Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida made the decision on Tuesday, allowing Rashada’s main claims of fraudulent misrepresentation, inducement, conspiracy to commit fraud, and negligent misrepresentation to continue. While the judge dismissed some claims, including those of tortious interference and conspiracy, the core allegations remain intact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rashada’s lawsuit revolves around a $13.85 million NIL deal that he claims influenced his decision to switch his commitment from Miami to Florida in late 2022. He argues that Florida’s representatives and boosters lured him under false pretenses, leading to the collapse of the deal and leaving him without a team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After initially signing with Florida, Rashada was released from his National Letter of Intent (NLI) when the NIL deal fell apart, later transferring to Arizona State and then to Georgia. He is now back in the Transfer Portal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defendants in the case include Coach Napier, former Florida NIL staffer Marcus Castro-Walker, Gators booster Hugh Hathcock, and Hathcock’s former company, Velocity Automotive. Despite efforts to have the lawsuit dismissed, the judge found Rashada’s claims sufficiently strong to advance to discovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the case is still in its early stages, the decision to move forward is significant, though the outcome remains uncertain. Settlement discussions are likely, but the case will continue to unfold. Rashada recently visited Western Kentucky but has not committed to a school yet.