Billy Napier, pair of codefendants request Rashada lawsuit dismissed

Florida football coach Billy Napier and a pair of codefendants filed motions on Tuesday with the U.S. District Court in Pensacola to dismiss quarterback Jaden Rashada’s lawsuit involving a failed name, image and likeness deal worth nearly $14 million.

It is alleged that Napier along with Florida booster/automotive technology businessman Hugh Hathcock and former director of player engagement Marcus Castro-Walker made “false and fraudulent promises” to coerce Rashada to sign with the Gators during the 2022 recruiting cycle.

Napier’s attorney, Henry Coxe III of the Bedell Firm in Jacksonville, Florida, argued in a 29-page response that facts are “sorely lacking from the complaint.”

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

The litigation stems from an offer made by UF to lure Rashada away from the Miami Hurricanes with a $13.85 million NIL deal after UM promised him $9.5 million to sign with them — which would be a violation of NCAA bylaws if true.

“In fact, the complaint makes clear that Napier could not have defrauded Rashada, since the sole statement attributed to Napier is alleged to have been made after Rashada had already abandoned the Miami NIL deal.”

Hathcock and Castro-Walker had their own respective attorneys file on their behalf as well.

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