QB Jaden Rashada signs 9.5 million NIL deal to sign with the Miami Hurricanes
Its being reported the 4-star prospect and No. 7 quarterback in the class of 2023, per 247Sports' composite rankings, agreed to a $9.5 million name, image and likeness deal with Miami booster John Ruiz and also turned down an $11 million offer from Florida's Gator Collective.
That's not even the shocking part to me. Apparently he has a NIL attorney negotiating his deals, before he even signs with a school. "Jaden left millions on the table," Michael W. Caspino, who is known as an NIL lawyer, said. "Millions. He did not pick the highest offer. He went there because he loves Miami, the coaches and the opportunity."
Caspino also said Florida's NIL collective needs some work in this new era of college football."Florida is the most dysfunctional collective in all of college football," he said. "I plan on steering my clients away from them. From my standpoint, I never ever want to deal with them again. If it weren't for the collective that's completely dysfunctional at Florida, he probably would have been there."
Of course Florida is denying the whole thing
https://twitter.com/GatorCollective/status/1541238884654321664?t=eo295VSG_394_mLIwuMLLA&s=19
How long before the NIL bubble bursts?
https://news.yahoo.com/report-miami-commit-may-accepted-035613921.html
We're between a rock and hard place. We either stick with what we're currently doing, which is likely more with the spirit of what NIL should be, and we miss out on big fish who are getting millions of dollars, or we start writing checks before recruits step on campus and step into some murky territory that may or may not result in issues down the line
If this is the case going forward, lets just start a minor league football system that becomes the training ground for the NFL.
Bingo. The NFL has used college football as a free minor league system since its inception.
Sure it's disguised as something else, but the NCAA has run a highly lucrative billion dollar a year minor league for decades on the backs of cheap labor from kids.
Sending out the Craig Ross bat signal - I would love an explanation of the legality of all of this NIL craziness
I can't understand why anyone would want Michigan participating in this hot mess.
All due respect to Miami or Texas Tech, or MSU or Tennessee, but Michigan is an elite academic and research institution and has a reputation to uphold. Go ahead and accuse me of "Michigan Arrogance," if you'd like. I'm just stating the truth.
And all due respect to Michigan fans who are not Michigan grads, but I do find that most of the people who are angry about Michigan's approach to NIL and who are in the "fire Warde" crowd are non-alums.
I'd rather see the team go 6-6 every year than stoop to this level.
You're also deluding yourself if you think this isn't going to cause issues in the locker room. The NFL analogy is not apt; every player in the NFL is at least getting paid something. How is the OL or DL guy who's busting his ass every day going to feel about the $10 million 4* QB who comes in and fails to live up to expectations? How is that same OL or DL going to feel about the coaching staff who allowed it to happen? Or, worse yet, if they continue to start the failed 4* QB...just because of the pressure from the booster who put in the $10 million in NIL cash?
How does compensating student-athletes for their potential and performance in a multi-billion dollar industry negatively impact academic/research reputation of the university?
mgolf, you're twisting my words.
I never said I was completely opposed to athletes being compensated. You're reading something that isn't there.
What I am opposed to is the hot mess that "NIL" has become.
A $9.5 million signing bonus or up-front payment or paycheck or whatever the fuck this is supposed to be is not in keeping with the intent, purpose, or spirit of the foundation of how NIL was designed to work.
It's a bastardization of a policy that was supposed to allow players to be compensated by lending out their Name, Image or Likeness.
As a graduate of the University of Michigan, the husband of a graduate, and the parent of a senior and freshman at the University of Michigan, I would prefer the school not sully its reputation by participating in the race to the bottom.
I'm guessing that most (not all, but most) other graduates or parents of graduates/students would agree with my POV on this issue.
I could be wrong here , but i would imagine the 9.5 million would be for his entire time at Miami as he would probably get 500 thousand or so up front.
wolver767, I very purposely included the word "paycheck" in my comments.
Whatever it is - and whatever you want to call it - it's bullshit.
This: "It's a bastardization of a policy that was supposed to allow players to be compensated by lending out their Name, Image or Likeness."
Agree.
I personally can't figure out a way to avoid having it transform into universities themselves arranging to pay players, but ... I continue to hope that way can be found. "Sure, kid, come to our school, and knock yourself out in making some commercial arrangements to make some cash. We have nothing to do with that -- we're not offering you anything ourselves -- but we sure won't stand in your way."
That seems like the ideal form, and I'm all for it. I just can't, myself, figure out a way to keep it from devolving. But I maintain a sliver of hope that smarter people than me will.
It used to be like speed limits in Michigan. Cops let you go at 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. Some go 70, some go 80, and a few go 100.
Now it’s like speed limits in Montana during daylight hours. Some people will still go 70. But many more will go 100.
Grad or no grad. How do you expect athletes to play for free and risk injury when their market value obviously says their services are worth something today? There's an underlying subtext that says exploitation is ok when it's 18 year old football players. If you believe that paying players is out of control (based on some real metrics), that's fine but kids working for less than their market value, ie. tuition, room, board and a stipend stinks. It says, "We're Michigan, or Notre Dame, or USC and our arrogance say's we should be able to exploit your kid and run a multi-billion dollar minor league, made profitable by the services of their cheap labor. What message does that send to the recruit who's family has endured post slavery, Jim Crow, Civil Rights, crummy, neighborhoods and sub- standard education? If it were my kid, I'd tell you to go to hell.
I think you are both right and that is why the minor league doesn't fit into the Universities mission, nor that of most schools that expect players to play school...so yeah THE Ohio State and SEC doesn't count but for many/most BIG and Pac12 schools..school actually matters and eclipses all else.
DMack, I'm not sure if your comment is directed to me, but one of the things I find most frustrating with some people - both on this blog and in real life - is that they take someone's comments and expand the meaning in them to suit their own POV.
My comments have been very specifically directed to the way NIL has become a shit show, with multi-million dollar payments being made to players in a way that doesn't reflect the spirit or meaning of how NIL is supposed to work.
Nowhere in my comments did I say that kids should "work for less than their market value." (Although, I'm not sure how you assign "market value" to each individual player.)
Nowhere did I say Michigan should be able to exploit anyone's kid.
As for your comment about kids being "cheap labor," I'd be willing to bet that 95%+ of all student athletes - even ones in high-profile sports like football and basketball - are pleased to dedicate their considerable athletic gifts and efforts in return for a free college education. (which, for an out-of-state student attending Michigan is about a $300,000 value)
And the whole rant in your last two sentences? I'm not sure where to even begin with that. I am well aware of the tragic and devastating impact of the way this country has treated Black people.
I did not in any of my comments speak out against or criticize any athletes and/or their families.
I am speaking out against the mockery that has been made of NIL...where we have kids being given multi-million dollar payments/guarantees/paychecks to attend a school. Which absolutely has nothing to do with using their Name, Image or Likeness to generate income for themselves.
My primary - and very clearly-stated - point was that I don't want Michigan stooping to the Texas Tech/Tennessee level in an effort to compete with them for recruits.
Well, 1989 UM Grad you certainly made some great points and I appreciate your comments. My comments on the other hand can require thick skin because they can be a bit abrasive sometimes. I keep it real. My rant was about the idea that because someone was given 4 million or 9 million in NIL deals that somehow their services aren't worth that at Michigan because of some illusory reason that no one ever talks about (arrogance, snobbery, userism, IDK please tell me). Obviously their services are worth that if someone is willing to pay it. Why do we have to shame these kids or their benefactors if they are correcting what has historically been a shit show of exploitation. Somehow you failed to mention that. Many of these kids have worked their asses off since they were 6 or 7 years old. their parents have sacrificed a lot by taking them to and from practice everyday and paying for camps and trainers for years.
You don't talk about the alternative or think about how the landscape of high profile college sports has changed. I'm anxious to hear your alternative. Although many of you would like Dante or some other high profile kid to come play and risk his long term health and career for tuition, room, board and a stipend, but if he were my kid (and trust me I bleed blue) I would say, your crazy as fuc GTFOH!!!!!! Who are you to say that he's not worth that or more? Show this kid and his family that you respect his worth. Match the damn offer and settle this QB dilemma already. That kids family doesn't want to move to Oregon but they would be foolish to turn down millions of dollars. Posters brag about how large of an endowment U of M has and its money cannon, why wont they spend it? I'd bet that Oregon and Ohio state and Texas A&M are telling recruits that Michigan doesn't respect your worth and they secretly lobby to reverse NIL because they want to use you and give you something you don't need (a degree), while making you hide because someone gave you pocket change. Your suggestion that $300,000 is enough seems arbitrary and lacking any true scientific analysis of all the factors including what's the risk vs. reward to the player. The alternative seems to reek of the tone that allows a return to the days where kids were being used again.
What if this guy is the next Charles Woodson or Chris Weber? Although I loved watching the Fab 5 as a fan, it made me sick to my stomach to learn that Chris had to beg for pizza and movie money or hide the few extra (under the table) crumbs he received, while Michigan, the NCAA, Nike, the Media etc. made millions off of their image and likeness. Perhaps his parents could have retired two years earlier had he been fairly compensated. Call it what you want, it's all paying players to play and it's long, overdue. Although these other schools are driving a tank through this opening, the important thing is it benefits athletes and they get to exploit themselves, and not be exploited for a change. The NCAA has had a monopoly on amateur sports for decades and has made billions on the backs of kids. Obviously the NCAA has been inept at clearly defining the space and policing the rules so that schools in some states don't have an advantage over others, like another poster suggested. However the idea that fairly compensating players for their services implies a lack of appreciation for that athletes journey because you were more of an academic.
The historical context of how these athletes have been exploited in some instances is as remarkable as it is appalling. It's laughable to believe a free education is adequate recompense for what Chris, the Fab 5 or Charles brought to Michigan and the sport in general. I agree that U of M has a great reputation in academic circles and paying athletes what the market bears doesn't in my mind threaten that. Michigan should always keep with its tradition of superior academics and scholarship but why wouldn't it keep with the tradition of being the winningest college football program too? Perhaps the landscape of big-time college sports as we know it has changed, for better or worse because of NIL and history will reveal which side Michigan was on. I assure you, many African American recruits and their families see this dichotomy in much the same way and real-life economics guide their decisions and how they view us. There should certainly be no shame or stigma when the beneficiary is the athlete and he's able to earn what the market will bear. The concept is as American as apple pie. I respectfully disagree that it's a race to the bottom. Michigan as well as some of it's alumni need to reflect on how they view student athletes and more specifically paying them, if the goal is to continue to be the winningest program in history, and elite in all things. Go Blue!!!!!
DMack, you're still misinterpreting what I said. I really don't consider that to be "keeping it real."
I never once commented on whether a student-athlete is worth whatever it is he or she is getting paid. I also never said a student-athlete shouldn't be paid for his/her name, image and likeness. Not once. Never.
What I am commenting on is that "giving" a student-athlete money from some "pool" is contrary to the spirit, meaning and intent of NIL. Giving up-front commitments of $10 million to a student-athlete before he/she dons the school's logo is contrary ot the spirit, meaning and intent of NIL.
The spirit, meaning and intent is right there in the letters: Name, Image and Likeness.
The point of NIL is for student-athletes to be able to lend out their name, image and likeness and get compensated for doing so. Doing appearances, signing autographs, appearing in advertising, selling gear, etc. Being paid in return for the use of their name, image and likeness.
What is happening now at some of these schools amounts to nothing more than up-front financial commitments - paychecks and/or bonuses, really, if we're being honest - being provided in an effort to induce these student-athletes to attend these schools.
That is not how it's intended to work...and Michigan should not participate in this bastardization of NIL
I don't disagree with what you are saying at all and my hope is that you don't disagree with what I've said. I believe the two camps can co-exist here if there is honesty about what's being sought. If the original post is true and Miami is going to pay 9 million dollars for their QB, is there a scenario in your mind where this recruit can receive 9 million and it be within the NIL rules? Obviously, the schools are claiming it's all within the rules but we think otherwise. How do we not harm this recruits $9 million dollar valuation and it be within the rules?
6-6 every year. There would be upheaval.
Well put, thank you. Same here for me.
The thing that this reminds me of is when the salary cap was suspended after the NFL lockout and two teams (Dallas and WFT) went crazy while others held back. Fans clamored for their teams to take the same approach at the time but it ended up costing them draft picks and a restricted cap. I believe that this is what Phil M. is referring to when he says some teams are jumping in the pool before they even look if there's water there.
That being said, there's enough teams doing it now where it seems like it will be extremely difficult to get the horse back in the barn. IMO only reasonable federal regulation could restore sanity to the situation.
There’s a good chance this is all a lie
Yeah, a quick googling of the attorney and checking out his current firm makes me wonder a bit about how believable this all is. For example, an article about NIL apparently written for his current firm about the attorney has this weird admission:
While Caspino has not revealed the name of his $8 million client, it’s widely believed Tennessee quarterback commitment Nico Iamaleava is the recruit with the deal. Caspino said when he first started working on the deal, he didn’t know it would become such a transformative moment in the NIL world.
Why you would write an article about a guy at your firm on a blog at your firm and then make an insane claim that you aren't disclosing the name of the client and then immediately disclose it brings the whole enterprise into question.
I'm sure there is money being thrown around and on paper there may well be some language that says the max payout is X if you stay 4 years, win 3 NCs and 2 Heismans while also making 400 appearances, but it would be very UT and Miami to spend inordinate amounts of money on a couple of splashy players and still not know how to tackle or block people and finish 8-4.
I should have been a blue-chip QB recruit.
This will continue to be a problem until everyone is opperating under the same set of rules. The NCAA needs to come out and set legitimate regulations, or they need to come out and say we are not going to get involved in NIL and we will not investigate or punish any "pay for play" situations against the schools or the athelete.
The problem with letting state law dictate what can and can't be done is it creates an un-level playing field. It does not look like the Feds are going to get involved to pass a national law, so really it has to come from the NCAA.
Schools having rights and advantages in one state is fundamentally unfair to schools in states that don't have the same rights. Schools that want to at least try to conform to the rules will get plastered by schools that say "screw it" try to stop us.
i wouldn't trust the NCAA to do anything except line it's pockets.
This will not be happening anytime soon. The collective Congress does not want to run college football (even if a few individual congress members would) The Supreme Court is strongly slanted towards states and corporate rights and will be for the foreseeable future. Any law Congress creates would immediately be challenged and the ruling would revert back to states or corporations rights.
That's more money than pretty much anyone who isn't drafted on the first day of the NFL draft will be making.
Truly the wild west here, folks.
Its shit like this that makes you respect Harbaughs stance.
People will respect it right up until the first loss of the season.
Sad but true.
It also makes me think this is one of the reasons he was ready to jump ship...College coaching and roster management is about to become a LOT harder.
It's going to be funny when Miami still goes 8-4 with a Gattis offense featuring the absolute best in 2018 playcalls.
I have always sort of expected this but I absolutely expect a 30-for-30 type documentary in a couple of years about how Miami's boosters absolutely screwed up NIL for them.
Wonder how Gattis is going to feel when his QB recruit is making more money than he is making?
"Unfortunately the past few weeks has told a different story to me about the very little appreciation I have here from administration. In life I would never advise anyone to be where they are not wanted."
I know this is off-topic, but wow I continue to shake my head at how Gattis handled his departure. I was never that big a fan of him at all, honestly -- I thought our offense was pretty damned dysfunctional in 2019 and 2020 -- and he finally has a year that seems to reflect well on him ... and immediately gets peeved and butt-hurt and burns his bridges in leaving?
Just ... unprofessional and weird. Have some class, man. Wish the players and your colleagues the best, and take the cash and leave. What's to be gained from whining, exactly? In what world do you come off better? Make the smart play.
I swear, the number of so-called "adults" in these positions that are, in fact, highly-paid babies is shocking.
Yeah, he now has a pattern of leaving as messily as possible. I defended him when he left Bama because I can see being annoyed that Mike Locksley got a bunch of credit for that offense but he absolutely seems like someone who can't handle not being treated like a VIP at all times.
Starting to smack of professional or even mercenary. This kind of big money not good for college sports in my view though I want Michigan to adapt and find ways to remain competitive.
$3 million for Bryce Young isn't a bad deal.
$3 million for an unproven recruit who may never play a down for your team is ridiculous. Bad things are going to happen and it's going to be fun to watch. 4 and 5 stars flame out all the time.
A one time transfer will solve that pay discrepancy issue.
I get the sense - given the relatively quiet outcomes of multiple recruiting weekends in a row that players are still wowwed by the Michigan experience, academics, facilities, big house, etc... but there is a new factor at play, that is literally "worth" more than all of that for those with high football aspirations. My guess is these players are seeing and hearing friends, guys they play against, get big money - who woulda thought 100k was peanuts to these guys - and despite their possible love of what they see, and the opportunity to play, they have dreams of millions.
Yes, the guy who is ranked 845 and hopes to play in the league one day, but also realizes its not highly likely, will value that experience and the degree, and what it gives them longer term.
With zero inside knowledge, it just seems like people say that its amazing, and has so much to offer, and wows them, but... yet.. unlike in years past, nobody seems able or willing to pull the trigger - which is not even really a trigger, because now you can pretty much get out of your commitment at any point, before, after or during signing day.
So a guy like Nyckoles Harbor who is an all world athlete.. probably loves UM to death, but that guy could easily get $1M+. What does Michigan say to counter that? What is the UM counter to... but those guys are gonna pay me MILLIONS??
To be clear, I'm not advocating they pay millions for anything. Just wondering what that conversation might be like. The "dig in" and old school mentality is fine, but I highly doubt any of us would turn down millions when the other schools are perfectly respectable academic institutions. Not as good as UM, but... 9M plus a Texas A&M degree? im in. even today!
Also start to wonder if kids will reconsider their "commitment" once they see the shift in market value some of these kids are getting. Will a higher ranked recruit ask for a matching or higher offer? I have to think these NIL contracts have language that require the athelete to sign the letter of intent or the deal is void?
These boosters may be reckless with their money to try and buy a good team, but they are not dumb (or at least the lawyers they hire to write the contracts are not). Will they put non-compete clauses into these contracts to prevent transfers? A 12 month non-compete would essentially revert back to the one year transfer rule. Just a lot to think about and it is moving fast.
BINGO. They have essentially created a marketplace with fluctuating value for players based on recent acquisitions, the economy (especially for public schools), and a variety of other factors. They are commodities, except in this case, the LB or the S or the QB commodity gets to have some say in the matter. But in the end, do they really have any say? The market will normalize and soon the "top LB" will get 500-700k and getting paid less will look foolish.
I think the intent was that the NIL was... after you join the school, but clearly that's not true.
I like to look at things from a recent and long term history lens.. and to me, this is just the publicizing (and extreme version) of what the "cheaters" have done for a long time. NCAA will try to cap it, or fix it, or adjust.. and the teams who want to be, will be 3 steps ahead.
The more things change...
Not that rules seem to matter..but I thought NIL was NOT supposed to be attached to any particular school (only the players Name, Image and likeness) and so it can't be contingent upon signing a LOI.
I put this in another thread, but its worth repeating here. Day says he needs $13m to keep his roster intact. For now, $13m is a reasonable proxy for what it will take to have an elite team. Can we keep up with this? I think we can.
These stories of mega million deals (like in this thread) are rare for now. Sitting on the sidelines is not helping us.
I remember hearing that, but can't remember when it was said. Either way, I'm sure it was before this kid signed a 9.5 million dollar deal. I'll bet that number for Ohio State (and other schools who lead with NIL stuff) is going to go up now.
If this is legit - which, who knows - then this might be the Mel Tucker contract of the NIL world. Look for a lot of decommits soon.
At first, I was shocked to see that number. Then I thought about it, and 2.375 - 3 million a year is a steal for a starting QB if the team is in the top 10. I'm not sure what the return on investment is, but it's not my place to tell people how to spend their money.
Thats a pretty big IF..given the schools we are talking..
A few years ago, I thought NIL was a way to prevent the perennial playoff teams from getting all the top talent. Now it has turned into the highest bidder for top talent and once again only a handful of team will be paying millions for the top recruits. If there was not NIL, Michigan would be in much better shape if NIL did not exist, since we became a playoff team and should have reaped a big recruiting class. Now all the top players only care about which school will be paying them the most but I can't blame the players for following the money.
imagine paying tens of millions for your team to still go 8-4
In all seriousness this is a massive mess that is going to screw up a lot of kids and teams.
Jealousy from other players - 2 year starter making $80k a year from local business ad deals v kid who never played a down showing up to school in a Maserati?
Is the kid driving a new Mercedes G-wagon making 2x what his position coach makes going to really listen to him?
Do you, as a coach, start a kid the boosters just paid $3 million a year for even though you know your current QB room is better/stronger? I mean, can't piss off the boosters because then there goes a chunk of your annual pay.
This is gonna be a shit show and I am glad Michigan is not going this route.