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Florida collective, attorney respond to report involving 4-star QB recruit who spurned Gators
By Keith Farner
Published:
Florida over the weekend was the subject of a report from On3 Sports that addressed a recruit who did not choose the Gators despite a lucrative NIL offer.
Jaden Rashada, a 4-star QB, reportedly “left millions on the table” from name, image and likeness by picking Miami over Florida. But one attorney in question, John H. Ruiz, put out a statement on Monday that said he has never spoken with Michael W. Caspino.
“I have never spoken to Mr. Caspino about Jaden Rashada,” Ruiz wrote. “Mr. Caspino and I spoke about an unrelated player months ago and had a very professional and pleasant conversation. I respect him.”
Ruiz responded, in part, because he was mentioned by On3 Sports in the report that Multiple sources told On3 Rashada agreed to a NIL deal with Miami mega-booster Ruiz for $9.5 million. The same sources said Rashada turned down an offer from Florida’s Gator Collective for $11 million. Both offers blow out of the water the Caspino-brokered $8 million deal for a 5-star recruit thought to be Tennessee quarterback commitment Nico Iamaleava.
The Gator Collective also released a statement to clarify its involvement, or lack thereof, with Caspino.
“Gator Collective has refused to engage in any dialogue with Mr. Caspino on numerous occasions as Gator Collective does not approve of his tactics …,” the statement read.
— Gator Collective (@GatorCollective) June 27, 2022
The report by https://t.co/QAEr6VfrG1 is inaccurate as it relates to Jaden Rashada.I have never spoken to Mr. Caspino about Jaden Rashada. Mr. Caspino and I spoke about an unrelated player months ago and had a very professional and pleasant conversation. I respect him.
— John H. Ruiz, Attorney at Law (@JohnHRuiz) June 27, 2022
Florida has two NIL-focused groups — the Gator Collective and the Gator Guard — and it appears the On3 report confused the two. https://t.co/1iXp0jbzYG
— G. Allan Taylor (@GAllanTaylor) June 27, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
