Tennessee killed the NCAA ‘s ability to punish NIL violations.The Gators, a top QB and a $13.85 million NIL deal gone wrong: What to know and what's next
The former ESPN 300 QB sued Florida over a $13.85 million NIL deal. What's next in this saga? Our reporters break it down.www.espn.comCould the Gators face any NCAA repercussions from Rashada's claims?
The NCAA alerted Florida almost a year ago that it was investigating claims that the football program had violated recruiting rules, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. ESPN's Mark Schlabach confirmed the investigation was related to Rashada's recruitment.
Rashada claims in his lawsuit that Napier directly promised Rashada a $1 million payment from a booster if he signed with Florida, which would be a violation of the NCAA's policies. The NCAA penalized Florida State and suspended one of its coaches in January for getting involved in NIL offers made to a prospect.
However, the NCAA sent a letter to its schools in late February explaining that it was pausing all open enforcement cases "involving third-party participation in NIL-related activities" after a federal judge in Tennessee granted an injunction that prohibited the NCAA from enforcing some of its rules. That case was filed by Tennessee's attorney general after the NCAA opened an investigation into the Vols' recruiting tactics.
Any other high-profile enforcement actions taken by the NCAA -- such as a penalty for Napier or the Gators -- could invite additional lawsuits at a time when the association remains vulnerable to antitrust scrutiny, which makes it unlikely that any NCAA punishments could be coming soon.
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