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Dan Murphy
Multiple Authors
Journeyman quarterback Jaden Rashada has reached a settlement regarding his lawsuit against former Florida head coach Billy Napier and a school booster, as indicated by court filings and statements from Rashada’s legal counsel.
Back in 2024, Rashada filed a lawsuit against Napier and Gators booster Hugh Hathcock, alleging they committed fraud by reneging on promises related to a name, image, and likeness contract valued at up to $13.85 million. This lawsuit, which also named a former member of Florida’s football staff and Hathcock’s auto dealership as defendants, marked a significant moment in the era of compensated college athletes.
Rusty Hardin, representing Rashada, announced the settlement with all parties but refrained from disclosing specific terms of the agreement.
“He’s a bright young man with sound judgment. He felt it was time to move on,” Hardin shared with ESPN on Tuesday. “He made the point he wanted to make, and now he’s ready to resume playing football.”
Last month, Rashada signed on to play for Mississippi State in the upcoming 2026 season. Since deciding to withdraw from his commitment to the Gators as a high school senior from Pittsburg, California, he has previously played at Arizona State, Georgia, and Sacramento State.
In October, Florida dismissed Napier after a 3-4 start to the season, and he was subsequently named head coach at James Madison in December. importantly, Napier was slated to be deposed in the case during the same week a settlement was finalized.
The lawyers representing Napier and Hathcock did not immediately provide comments when contacted on Tuesday evening. Following the initial complaints, Napier expressed that he felt “comfortable with my actions” concerning Rashada’s recruitment.
Rashada’s lawsuit asserted that Hathcock and Napier guaranteed him seven-figure amounts during his recruitment to entice him away from a prior commitment to Miami. The lawsuit also stated that Napier assured the quarterback’s father a $1 million signing bonus just hours before Rashada signed his letter of intent with the Gators, which the boosters ultimately failed to deliver.
It is worth noting that Rashada’s recruitment occurred in 2022, prior to the allowance for direct payments to athletes by schools and while NCAA regulations still barred booster collectives from discussing NIL contract terms with athletes before enrollment.
