Florida coach Billy Napier makes first comments on Jaden Rashada lawsuit: ‘Comfortable with my actions’

DESTIN, Fla. — A relaxed-looking Billy Napier said he was “comfortable with (his) actions” in his first public comments on the Jaden Rashada blockbuster trial. Rashada filed a lawsuit last week, accusing the Florida coach of fraud, among other allegations, stemming from the failure of a $13.85 million name, image and likeness deal.

“I think it’s important that everyone understands that I can’t comment because of the litigation,” Napier said at the SEC’s spring meetings. “But I have confidence in our legal team. I’m comfortable with my actions. And I’m grateful for the university’s support. We’ll leave it at that and let the process take its course.”

The Florida coach said he first discovered he was one of three defendants on the list — along with top Gators defender Hugh Hathcock and former Florida staffer Marcus Castro -Waker – thanks to the media. Rashada’s legal team, led by famed Houston attorney Rusty Hardin, filed a lawsuit in federal court last Tuesday, arguing that the trio fraudulently recruited Rashada, then a highly regarded high school quarterback, to he goes to Florida without intending to follow through. a $13.85 million deal.

Specifically, the lawsuit alleges “fraudulent misrepresentation and inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, negligent misrepresentation, tortious interference with a business relationship or contract, and aiding and abetting of tortious interference.”

Napier was asked how he would approach the rookie situation and was concerned that Florida had not delivered on its promises.

“This narrative has been around for a long time,” Napier said. “I think we asked this question two years ago or a year and a half ago, and I don’t necessarily think it’s slowed us down, to any extent. So, look, we’re going to keep moving forward. This process ultimately took place within the NCAA process. We can’t say much more.

The NCAA informed Florida last June that it was investigating Rashada’s situation. which included interviews with Rashada and Castro-Walker, sources told CBS Sports. However, as the NCAA enforcement team worked to investigate and build a case that many insiders expected to be the largest of the NIL era, the states of Tennessee and Virginia sued the NCAA sues to end enforcement of its NIL-related rules.

The two states scored an early legal victory in late February when U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker issued a preliminary injunction that essentially blocked the NCAA from enforcing rules related to NIL and recruiting.

All that was left was the legal system to remedy Rashada’s situation.

The lawsuit argues that Napier, Hathcock and company (Velocity Automotive) and Castro-Walker convinced Rashada to forgo a previously agreed upon $9.5 million deal to travel to Miami in favor of Florida. It includes allegations that Hathcock told Rashada, “Whatever Jaden needed to come to UF, Hathcock would make it happen.” »

He also alleges that his father, Harlen Rashada, was offered a job in the security industry during a recruiting visit. Direct contact between a recruit and a booster during an on-campus visit is against NCAA rules.

To influence Rashada’s decision, Hathcock and Castro-Walker proposed a $13.85 million deal, with $5.35 million (including a $500,000 signing bonus) expected to go through the Velocity Automotive company. by Hathcock and the rest by Gator Guard, the NIL collective he created. Hathcock previously pledged to donate $12.6 million to the Gator Boosters, and initial media reports indicated the Gator Guard raised $5 million in its first 24 hours.

Before the deal was finalized, Hathcock informed Rashada’s representatives that he no longer wanted to route NIL payments through his company because he planned to sell it, according to the lawsuit. Instead, he and Castro-Walker proposed that Walker and the Gator Collective (Florida’s NIL collective) pay directly for the deal.

Eddie Rojas, CEO of Gator Collective, reportedly texted Zager about the impending deal: “Tell Jaden we can’t wait to set him up for life. Need to open his brokerage accounts ASAP. The Dude’s rich and we’re just getting started.”

The deal was officially signed on November 10, 2022, with the first payment of $500,000 due to Rashada on December 5.

The lawsuit claims that Hathcock never intended to make this payment and that everyone involved, including Napier, knew it.

It all came to a head on December 21, the first day of the early signing period, where Napier reportedly personally assured Rashada that the Florida alumni “had kept their promise that Jaden would receive $1 million if he signed with the ‘UF during the national signing”. Day” and that Hathcock would make payment.

Harlen Rashada then texted Zager: “Coach Napier said (Hathcock) was on a plane and he would send 1 Mil. He wants the papers and I’ll send them if you’re good.” He claims Castro-Walker threatened Rashada that if he didn’t sign, Napier might withdraw his scholarship offer.

Hardin previously told CBS Sports that Napier should never have made those promises, which at the time were also against NCAA rules. “It’s not a role he should have been involved in, he shouldn’t have made those promises and he should have stayed out of that whole area,” Hardin said. “He did not do it.”

Rashada spent the 2023 season at Arizona State before transferring to Georgia this spring. Rashada informed Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart the day before filing the suit of his intention to sue a sitting SEC head coach.

“I told him it was between him, his family and his lawyers,” Smart said Tuesday. “I’m not really involved in it, Georgia is not involved in it in any way. But Jaden is a good football player. He goes out, he has a good job. He has the ability to play, which is really crucial at quarterback. He has actually played and is very talented. He is happy to join us and looking forward to working with him.

Request Monday evening, regarding the Rashada lawsuit, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said.“I’m not a fan of trials. That’s what I think.”