Rashada initially attended Liberty High School in Brentwood, California before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida after his freshman year.[2] He spent the summer at IMG, but moved back to California before the start of the football season and enrolled at Pittsburg High School.[3] As a junior, he passed for more than 2,220 yards with 27 touchdown passes.[4] Rashada passed for 3,055 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior.[5] He is believed to have been the first high school football player to sign an endorsement deal after reaching an agreement with a recruitment app in December 2021.[6]
Recruitment
Rashada initially committed to play college football at Miami over offers from LSU, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas A&M.[7] It was reported that Rashada received a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) offer of up to $9.5 million after his commitment to Miami.[8] He later denied that any deal had been offered to him.[9]
He later flipped his commitment to Florida.[10] Shortly before he was set to enroll for Florida's 2023 spring semester, Rashada requested a release from his National Letter of Intent.[11] It was later reported that a $13.85 million NIL deal with the Gator Collective, an athletic booster group that is unaffiliated with Florida's athletic program, had fallen through.[12] Rashada ultimately enrolled at Arizona State, where his father had played.[13] On May 21, 2024, it was announced that Rashada was suing Florida coach Billy Napier and Gators booster Hugh Hathcock over the failed deal.[14]
College career
Arizona State
Rashada joined the Arizona State Sun Devils as an early enrollee in January 2023.[15] He was named ASU's starting quarterback prior to the team's season opener against Southern Utah.[16] Rashada passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 win in his collegiate debut.[17][18]
Georgia
Rashada transferred to Georgia on April 25, 2024.[19]
Lawsuit
On May 21, 2024, Rashada filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Florida accusing University of Florida head football coach William “Billy” Napier and others of fraud and failing to pay a purportedly promised $13.85 million name, image and likeness (NIL) agreement.[20] The lawsuit alleged that $13.85 million, funded by “[Hugh] Hathcock’s Gator Guard collective” was promised to Rashada on December 7, 2022.[20] The Gators’ backers also arranged a payment to Rashada to help pay off money owed to University of Miami booster John Ruiz after the quarterback flipped his verbal commitment from the Hurricanes, per the suit.[20]
According to Rashada and his attorney Rusty Hardin, Napier promised the-then-high school senior that Florida alumni “were good on their promise that Jaden would receive $1 million if he signed with UF on National Signing Day.[20] Rashada claims the only funds received from Hathcock totaled $150,000.00 to repay the University of Miami booster.[21] Less than a month later after early signing day, Rashada asked for his release from his letter of intent with Florida.[22] The lawsuit claims that Rashada suffered the loss of his $9.5 million NIL deal with Miami and other collective-sponsored NIL compensation. It also seeks punitive damages.[22] As of May 24, 2024, the litigation remains on-going.
Rashada is the first known college athlete to sue his coach or a booster due to a dispute of a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal.[21]
