In the over four years since its establishment, Name, Image and Likeness has changed how college athletes are recruited, their time at schools and their post-sports lives.
However, NIL has also led to financial fiascos, mismanaged deals and, in extreme cases, lawsuits. One example who stands out above them all is Jaden Rashada.
As Florida and Georgia face off again in one of the ugliest rivalries in college football, their teams have one thing in common: Rashada transferred out of them.
A prestigious high school quarterback at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Rashada was a highly sought-after recruit in the 2023 cycle. He received offers from 32 different programs across the country. Former head coach Billy Napier and the Florida Gators pursued him aggressively.
At first, Rashada went in a different direction. He verbally committed to Miami on June 26, 2022. The quarterback had received a $9.5 million NIL deal, ESPN reports said, a claim he disputed.
The Gators, who viewed Rashada as their quarterback of the future, ramped up the pressure. With the financial backing of booster Hugh Hathcock, they pieced together an offer Rashada ultimately couldn’t refuse: $13.85 million over four years, including $5.35 million directly from Hathcock and the remainder paid through NIL collective Gator Guard.
On Nov. 10, 2022, Rashada decommitted from the Hurricanes and verbally committed to Florida, announcing his commitment on X. He signed his letter of intent about six weeks later.
Over the next month, however, reports emerged that parts of his contract with Florida had been breached. There were allegations that Napier promised Rashada's father a $1 million "partial payment" that day upon signing. According to ESPN, Rashada and his lawyers said they never received that payment, or any of the other money promised to the quarterback.
After a month, Rashada decommitted from Florida on Jan. 20, 2023. He later committed to Arizona State for the 2023 season. He began the year as the Sun Devils’ starter but was knocked out of the season early in ASU’s loss to Oklahoma State on Sept. 9.
In spring 2024, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham added Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt through the transfer portal, and he quickly became the favorite for the starting job.
Looking for a better fit, Rashada entered the transfer portal on April 18, 2024, and committed to Georgia one week later.
On May 21 of the same year, Rashada and his lawyers filed a lawsuit against Napier, Hathcock and former UF staffer Marcus Castro-Walker, claiming that they “defrauded” him out of money he had on the table. He became the first college athlete to sue his coach or a booster due to a dispute over an NIL deal.
"I think it's important for everybody to understand that I can't comment due to the litigation," Napier said at 2024 SEC spring meetings. "But I do have confidence in our legal team. I am comfortable with my actions. And I'm thankful for the university's support. We're gonna keep it at that and kind of let the process take its course."
On April 8, U.S. Northern District of Florida judge M. Casey Rodgers ruled Rashada’s case against the Florida football recruitment staff and donors could enter the first stage of trial.
“It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand how a purportedly fraudulent NIL deal initially valued north of $13 million could induce a teenager to choose a university he otherwise would not have,” Rodgers said.
Rashada’s agent, Rusty Hardin, said he and his client “look forward to discovery fully exposing the defendants’ conduct for all to see.” Legal analyst Mitch Gilfillan reported on his X account the trial would take place July 20, 2026.
Since filing the lawsuit, Rashada has barely seen the field, and when he has, the results have been sub-standard.
He never saw the field at Georgia, leading him to transfer once again, this time to Division I Sacramento State on April 25.
"It was a lot to figure out, honestly," Rashada told CBS Sports in May. "This move had to be pretty critical and intentional. ... I was more picky this time around. I had more pure intentions of what I wanted to get out of it."
He started the opening game of the 2025 season for the Hornets but struggled immensely, quickly being benched. He has appeared as a relief quarterback since.
Miami, Florida, Arizona State and Georgia all have quarterbacks they believe in, all of whom were chosen over Rashada at some point in time.
Current Miami quarterback Carson Beck, along with current UGA starter Gunner Stockton, were both ahead of Rashada on the 2024 Georgia depth chart. Meanwhile, Leavitt led ASU to a playoff appearance in 2024 and remains the team’s quarterback this season. In Gainesville, 2024 five-star recruit DJ Lagway has emerged as Florida’s quarterback of the future.
In his collegiate career, Rashada has thrown 124 passes to date, completing only 61 of them. He’s thrown for 749 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max is in his sixth semester at The Alligator and now serves as The Alligator's Football Reporter and is a junior sports journalism student. He previously served as The Alligator's Sports Editor, and served as reporter for women's tennis, volleyball and lacrosse. He also has made multiple appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. He wants to shoutout his cats, Scooter and Zoe, and also loves niche professional athletes (shoutout Tomas Fleischmann).
