Jaden Rashada is either injured or benched at Sacramento State. It appears to be the latter.
One of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the country will play second fiddle at his fourth different school in four years.
This is perhaps one of the most overlooked stories in college football this season because of it is irrelevant in the overall picture of the sport. It serves as a cautionary tale in the transfer portal and NIL era.
Jaden Rashada started at Florida, kind of.
This whole thing started way back in 2022, when Rashada ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in the recruiting Class of 2023. He committed to Miami as a four-star prospect in the same class as Arch Manning, Nico Imaleava, Jackson Arnold, Malachi Nelson and Dante Moore, among others.
It did not take long for things to get messy.
Multiple reports suggested that Rashada signed an NIL deal worth $9.5 million to play for the Hurricanes. The California-native supposedly turned down an offer worth $11 million from the Florida Gators.
However, Miami’s most prominent booster vehemently denied the existence of any such agreement.
That was in June. Rashada later flipped his commitment to the University of Florida in November in large part because of an NIL worth $13.85 million but the deal fell through.
As a result, the incoming freshman signal-caller requested a release from his National Letter of Intent just a few weeks before he was set to enroll for the spring semester in 2023. His request was granted.
Rashada ultimately landed at Arizona State (his father’s alma mater) for exactly zero dollars. He won the starting job as a freshman but multiple different injuries kept him on the sideline for all but three games.
Sam Leavitt was expected to beat him out for the starting job in 2024 so Rashada hit the transfer portal after spring practice. Georgia brought him in as the third-string quarterback behind Carson Beck and Gunnar Stockton.
The true sophomore signal-caller did not play a single game for the Bulldogs last season and took a redshirt. He re-entered the transfer portal for a second time in January.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old remains actively involved in a lawsuit against Florida, its top financial arm and head coach Billy Napier over his failed NIL agreement.
Sacramento State already gave him the hook.
Jaden Rashada won the starting job at Sacramento State prior to his redshirt sophomore season. That did not last long.
He completed only 11 of 27 passes for 107 yards with one interception in a season-opening loss to South Dakota State. The Hornets turned to Cardell Williams halfway through a loss to Nevada in Week 2.
They stuck with Williams for their home-opener against an FCS opponent.
Williams completed eight passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-28 win over Mercyhurst. Sacramento State ran the ball at will so it rarely needed to pass.
That might not be the case against Central Arkansas on Saturday. Will the Hornets stick with Williams or is this going to be a revolving door? Only time will tell…