Jaden Rashada Visiting Pac-12 School(s?) After Florida Deal Falls Through Raises NIL Questions Based On Financial History

Jaden Rashada's recruitment is the most compelling storyline of the modern era. Where money has always played a role in college football, the new Name, Image and Likeness rules have only made that even more true.

Rashada is the perfect example. The four/five-star (depending on where you look) quarterback from Pittsburg, California is considered one of the 10 best players at his position in the Class of 2023.

Rashada has 32 offers from schools all across the country, but was deciding between Miami and Florida. Initially, he chose the former. And then he flipped to the latter.

Rashada then asked to be released from his National Letter of Intent earlier this week. His request came after a $13 million promise (which included payments to a Hurricanes booster) was not kept.

Florida granted Rashada his release on Friday morning. He is, once again, a free agent— if we're calling a spade a spade in this current NIL landscape.

While there is still a lot of speculation that Rashada could flip back to Miami, it sounds like his recruitment has taken a turn and the Hurricanes are not expected to recruit him again. Colorado, Washington and Arizona State are said to be in the mix, with SMU being thrown around in some circles.

In fact, Rashada is in Tempe for a visit this weekend. He reportedly arrived at Arizona State on Friday afternoon, and could reportedly jet over to Boulder not long thereafter.

Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham recruited Rashada while serving as the offensive coordinator at Oregon. Rashada's father played for the then-Pac-10 program in the 1990s. There are ties there.

Jaden Rashada's visit to Arizona State raises NIL questions.

If things had gone according to plan, Rashada could have received around $10 million to play at either Florida or Miami— if not more. He was going to get compensated well through NIL opportunities at either program.

Arizona State likely cannot offer anywhere near that amount of money. Dillingham does not have the same NIL horses at his disposal.

Emory Jones, who transferred from Florida (ironically) prior to the 2023 season, signed the largest NIL deal in school history. That number was $75,000.

Rashada, at either Florida or Miami, could have received approximately 173 times the amount of Jones' deal at Arizona State. This makes things interesting.

Rashada is presumably going to have to take a pay cut from the reported $13 million deal that fell through with the Gators. How much is he willing to compromise? Is his decision all about money?

He said back in June that he would "never make a life/career choice for any monetary value." Hm.

Now there are questions to be asked:

The drama surrounding Rashada's recruitment continues. It will be interesting to see where he lands.