Florida Football: Contenders emerge for Jaden Rashada’s new home

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 12: Florida Gators commit Jaden Rashada looks on during the second half of a game between the Florida Gators and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 12: Florida Gators commit Jaden Rashada looks on during the second half of a game between the Florida Gators and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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At this point, most fans of Florida football want to put Jaden Rashada in their rearview mirror and never speak of him ever again.

That’s fair, but the QB from California eventually will find a new home and there will also be a sizable portion of Gator Nation that will keep up with his progress to see if he turns into a superstar or the next Max Browne.

Contenders are emerging for Rashada’s services, even armed with full knowledge of the baggage he left behind in Gainesville.

Florida Football: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

We here at Hail Florida Hail do have some bit of empathy for Jaden Rashada the human being. He has been thrust into a situation in part because the adults around him on both sides of the coin couldn’t get it together. Jaden himself should be taking high school economics right now, but that doesn’t prepare him for the complexities of a $13 million contract that may or may not have been $13 million.

And the saga hasn’t stopped other schools from seeking his services. According to Bookies.Com, Arizona State (+140) and TCU (+180) are the two most likely destinations for Rashada. Washington (+400) and California (+1000) is also in the running according to the website.

These odds are just that, odds. As we learned from Spencer Sanders, who was once favored to wind up with Florida football, these are by no means a guarantee of where Rashada will wind up.

TCU does not have a QB signed in its 2023 class. Arizona State does have a commitment from three-star prospect Israel Carter, but he has not signed a letter of intent yet. TCU would probably be the better fit for Rashada, given they are established, have new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles (who certainly won’t care about baggage) and play in a very QB-friendly conference.

Rashada would instantly be the top prospect at Arizona State, but as we saw with Emory Jones this past year there is no guarantee of success if the squad around you isn’t well-built.

Theatrics aside, Rashada is still a highly rated prospect and there is a reason why Chris Singletary of 247 Sports thinks he could be a first-round draft pick in the NFL.