Lawsuit Between Gators Billy Napier and Former Commit Gets New Update

Filed over half a year ago, a judge will soon hear arguments to dismiss the lawsuit

A hearing will come soon related to the lawsuit / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Back in May, former Florida Gators signee Jaden Rashada filed a $10 million lawsuit against Gators head coach Billy Napier, former Florida NIL director Marcus Castro-Walker and booster Hugh Hathcock. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 18, a U.S. District Judge will hear arguments for multiple motions to dismiss the case. Back in July, Napier, Castro-Walker and Hathcock filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. 

According to Napier’s attorney, Hank Coxe III, Rashada’s own complaint shows that the Gators head coach was not involved with what occurred between Rashada and the Gator Collective.

“Nothing alleged in the complaint supports the notion that Napier participated in any wrongdoing,” Coxe wrote. “Nowhere does the complaint adequately allege, for example, that Napier knew about whatever occurred between Rashada, his ‘NIL agents’ and the Gator Collective, LLC.

Rashada’s 37-page lawsuit alleges that Napier, Castro-Walker and Hathcock all took part in deceiving him regarding an NIL deal worth $14 million, originally leading to Rashada flipping his commitment from the University of Miami to Florida. By switching his commitment to Florida, Rashada allegedly left $9.5 million on the table from the University of Miami. 

Hathcock, a Gator “mega-booster”, was eventually no longer involved with the deal, leaving it in the hands of Gator Collective, now known as Florida Victorious. With Hathcock no longer contributing, Gator Collective reached out to Rashada in an attempt to terminate the deal. Despite Gator Collective’s attempt to terminate the deal, Rashada’s lawsuit alleges that Napier and Castro-Walker continued to assure him that the deal would remain intact. 

The lawsuit requests damages of at least $10 million, accusing the defendants of fraudulent misrepresentation and inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, negligent misrepresentations, tortious interference with a business relationship or contract and aiding and abetting tortious interference and vicarious liability.

The former Gator commit ultimately signed with Arizona State, where he threw for 485 yards and four touchdowns during his freshman year. Rashada later transferred to the University of Georgia, where he currently serves as a backup to Carson Beck.