A landmark $13.8 million NIL promise that soured into a high-profile lawsuit has defined Billy Napier’s recent career. Now, that chapter is officially closed.

“Mississippi State QB Jaden Rashada has reached a settlement with former Florida head coach Billy Napier, booster Hugh Hathcock and former UF staffer Marcus Castro-Walker, per court documents,” reported On3 analyst Pete Nakos.

According to documents, a February 10 mediation session brought both sides to the table and resulted in a settlement. “The parties have reached a confidential settlement and are moving forward,” Rashada’s agent, Jackson Zager, said in a statement to On3. 

At the heart of the legal dispute lies a case of failed promises. Rashada filed the suit against Napier, Hathcock, and Castro-Walker in May 2024. He alleged he was lured to Florida under false pretenses, which served up a hefty $13.8 million NIL package. It was enough to flip his commitment to Napier’s program. Hathcock’s Velocity Automotive was also pulled into the lawsuit.

The blue-chip quarterback from Pittsburg, California, signed with Napier’s program in December 2022. But the marriage barely lasted a month before he walked away from his National Letter of Intent and headed west to Arizona State. After spending his freshman year with the Sun Devils, Rashada transferred to Georgia. He then filed a 37-page complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in May 2024. 

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“Defendants’ goals were two-fold: (1) to ensure Jaden remained committed to UF; and (2) to avoid paying the promised NIL funds,” a part of the complaint states. “Defendants knew that for most college athletes, the prospect of NIL earnings is life-changing. Defendants exploited this fact for their own personal advantage.”

Rashada said there has been no breach of his commitment. Instead, he claimed he passed on a $9.5 million offer from the Miami Hurricanes when he flipped his commitment from Miami to Florida. Rashada’s situation highlights a growing trend of financial disputes in college football, with other players, like former UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka, also recently stepping away from programs over unfulfilled promises.  

“I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled,” he said in a statement. “Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future.”

With the lawsuit settled, Napier can now focus on his new chapter at James Madison, though challenges remain. 

What awaits Billy Napier in the near future?

The Billy Napier era in Florida came to a sudden halt in October 2025. Napier’s tenure in Florida ultimately unraveled. It culminated in a 22-23 record and a dismal 0-10 road mark against ranked teams. The final loss to No. 5 Texas A&M became the final nail in the coffin.

He refused to relinquish play-calling duties, even after the offense lacked imagination and consistently stalled in the 2025 season. Now that he will be the new head coach for James Madison, he faces a significant challenge in repairing his reputation. Even though the Rashada dispute has reached a settlement, the opposing staffs are likely to use the former quarterback’s case as a negative recruiting weapon. 

That means Napier will need to be extremely transparent at JMU. While he will be careful in the NIL space this time, he has also given up the play-calling duties. 

“I got a lot to prove,” said Napier in his introductory press conference. “This is probably the most motivated I’ve been since I’ve been a head coach. Word around Harrisonburg is he’s finally letting go of the offensive play-calling reins and handing them over to his offensive coordinator.”

Freed from the lawsuit and his play-calling duties, Napier has a chance to rebuild his reputation at James Madison by returning to the successful formula he established at Louisiana.