Jaden Rashada (four-star Florida) asks for release from scholarship

Jaden Rashada won’t be attending the University of Florida.

According to multiple reportsThe four-star quarterback is asked for his scholarship release The school. Rashada signed with Florida in the early signing period. He was expected to enroll at Gainesville in January, after having played in the Under Armour All-American Game earlier in the month. That didn’t happen.

Why? It could be related to name, image, and likeness payments. Multiple reports indicate that Rashada signed an endorsement agreement with NIL collectives in exchange for a contingent signing with the Gators. According to the Athletic, The collective reached a NIL agreement in November with a maximum value $13 million.

But that max value was reportedly well beyond the means of the collective’s financial ability. The deal soon collapsed.

Rashada was listed as one of Florida’s early signees in December but word started to spread as soon as he signed that he may not make it to campus.

What’s next?

Rashada will have the option to sign with another school once Florida officially removes him from a scholarship. Miami could be on the horizon? Rashada was a Hurricanes fan before he moved to Florida. Miami QB Jake Garcia entered the transfer portal on Monday.

The No. 4 star recruit is the best. The No. 84 prospect in the nation and the No. 7 recruits in California. He’s also the No. The No. 7 pro style quarterback in the class 2023 would make him a highly sought-after recruit. When Rashada is released from his scholarship, he’ll be the only member of the pro-style QB top 25 in the class of 2023 not signed to a school.

Rashada was a top player in a Florida recruiting class that ranked no. Rivals reported that Rashada was No. 13 in the Florida recruiting class after the early sign-up period. Florida will drop a few spots when Rashada is no longer a part of the class and that class won’t have a quarterback in it unless a replacement for Rashada is found.

That’s a big deal for a Florida roster that needs someone who could be the long-term answer at the position. After an arrest for child pornography charges, Anthony Richardson, the 2022 starter, declared for the NFL draft. His backup Jalen Kitna has been removed from the team. After missing the entire season, Jack Miller from Ohio State was able to start the Las Vegas Bowl win against Oregon State.

Graham Mertz, former Wisconsin QB, was signed by the Gators through the transfer portal. He has only two years of eligibility left and has also experienced a decline in his time with Wisconsin. After completing 61% in seven games in 2020 as a freshman, Mertz completed 57% in 2022. In 2021, Mertz threw more touchdowns than interceptions.

This is a high-profile case of NIL’s fatal flaw

Rashada’s situation is also the biggest example of the pitfalls associated with college athletics’ new endorsement reality. Donors and other people offering endorsement deals should be skeptical of players and their families. There are some large dollar figures being thrown around when it comes to endorsement deals, and it’s safe to believe those inflated numbers are a bit like NFL contracts — the real value of the deal is likely a lot lower than the top-line number.

And if what is being reported around Rashada’s deal is true, a collective’s inability to deliver on a big promise cost the Gators a top recruit.