Former Florida QB Signee Named Arizona State's Starting QB as Freshman
Jaden Rashada, who signed with Florida in the recruiting class of 2023 but failed to enroll at the university following a Name, Image and Likeness-related snafu, is set to be named the Week 1 starting quarterback of the Arizona State Sun Devils, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports reported on Tuesday.
Rashada beat out redshirt junior Trenton Bourguet and BYU offseason transfer Jacob Conover for the right to start, concluding a competition that did not feature Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne after Aug. 12 due to a reported injury.
Florida has moved forward with Wisconsin transfer and redshirt junior Graham Mertz as its starting signal-caller for 2023, but without Rashada joining the program as planned, the Gators' scholarship quarterback room is currently undermanned relative to head coach Billy Napier's stated desires.
Only redshirt sophomore Jack Miller III and redshirt freshman Max Brown make up the scholarship depth behind Mertz this season, with graduate transfer Micah Leon offering support as a walk-on. Miller is currently nursing tendonitis in his right rotator cuff.
The situation makes Rashada's falling out with Florida worth recounting.
Rashada flipped his college commitment from Miami to Florida in the early hours of Nov. 11, 2022, providing Napier with an esteemed quarterback prospect to lead his Gators offense of the future.
In four varsity seasons for Pittsburg (Calif.) High School, Rashada completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 5,816 yards, 70 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, adding 592 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
He was considered the No. 4 quarterback and No. 10 overall prospect in the class of 2023, by the Sports Illustrated 99.
But, come the spring enrollment deadline, Rashada never arrived at UF. He eventually requested release from his signed national letter of intent, which Florida granted on Jan. 20.
Multiple reports surfaced around that time stating that the Gator Collective — a now-defunct Name, Image and Likeness group formerly associated with the University of Florida — terminated an agreement with the quarterback prospect that exceeded a full worth of $13 million.
Rashada's exit from Florida's recruiting class and the off-field circumstances that surrounded it generated national headlines for weeks while the Gators began their offseason program. The topic even warranted a discussion on The Paul Finebaum Show on ESPN, one in which the host did not withhold judgment.
"It is utterly bizarre," Finebaum said with a laugh on Jan. 18. "We shouldn't be surprised at anything we see in college football, but just, this headline alone has me shaking my head."
Rashada eventually committed to Arizona State and enrolled ahead of the program's spring training camp.
Florida continued to pursue immediate quarterback depth after removing Rashada from its plans. It acquired Leon through the transfer portal on Jan. 20 and secured the commitment of class of 2025 passer Austin Simmons on April 4, with a plan in place for Simmons to reclassify to the 2023 recruiting cycle as an early high school graduate.
Simmons did just that, but upon announcing his two-class jump to college on June 17, he flipped his commitment to Ole Miss.
Looking toward the future, Florida possesses the pledge of 2024 quarterback and Elite 11 honoree DJ Lagway. He committed to the Gators on Dec. 7, 2022.
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