"Former Pittsburg High star quarterback Jaden Rashada's lawsuit against former Florida coach Billy Napier and three other defendants regarding a failed name, image and likeness deal worth nearly $14 million has been settled. Court documents show the case was formally settled Tuesday when a mediation report was delivered. The sides held a mediation conference early last week. Napier, now the coach at James Madison, was in town for his deposition."
"The judge had set a trial date for July. Details of the settlement were not released. Rashada sued Napier, Florida booster Hugh Hathcock, Hathcock's former company, Velocity Automotive, and Marcus Castro-Walker, the program's former director of player engagement, in federal court in Pensacola in 2024. He accused Napier, Hathcock, Velocity and Castro-Walker of fraudulent misrepresentation and inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, negligent misrepresentations, tortious interference with a business relationship or contract, aiding and abetting tortious interference and vicarious liability."
"The NCAA began investigating Florida in 2023 regarding Rashada's recruitment. The NCAA asked the school not to conduct its own investigation and said it would notify the institution soon regarding the projected timeline of the investigation. But the following year, the NCAA halted investigations into booster-backed collectives or other third parties making NIL compensation deals with Division I athletes following lawsuits. The decision came after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia."
Jaden Rashada's lawsuit over a failed name, image and likeness deal worth nearly $14 million was formally settled after a mediation report was delivered. The lawsuit named Billy Napier, booster Hugh Hathcock, Hathcock's former company Velocity Automotive, and Marcus Castro-Walker as defendants and sought at least $10 million in damages. Claims included fraudulent misrepresentation, inducement, aiding and abetting fraud, civil conspiracy, negligent misrepresentations, and tortious interference. Napier, now at James Madison, attended a deposition and a trial had been set for July. The NCAA investigated Rashada's recruitment in 2023 but later halted certain NIL-related investigations after legal challenges.
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