UM booster Ruiz responds to report of big NIL deal for new UM QB commit Jaden Rashada

New Miami commitment Jaden Rashada, who’s poised to become the second-highest rated quarterback recruit in UM history, likely will make considerable name, image and likeness money as a Hurricane.

But he’s apparently not going to become a $10 million man, according to the Canes’ chief NIL benefactor.

An On3.com report that Rashada agreed to a NIL deal with Miami megabooster John Ruiz for $9.5 million is “grossly inaccurate,” Ruiz told the Miami Herald, referring to the dollar figure and the existence of any executed contract with a player considered one of the top half dozen quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

Ruiz said, via text message, that Rashada actually committed to UM a few days before the star from California announced his commitment to UM on Sunday.

“After he committed, an agent reached out and we are discussing a deal,” Ruiz said. “Jaden is an amazing kid.”

Ruiz noted that Rashada’s 7-on-7 Immortal team has a sponsorship deal with Cigarette Racing, one of Ruiz’s companies.

Ruiz — who has struck NIL deals with more than 115 UM student-athletes — said “kids know we are responsible and follow the rules. They have trust in us and we provide valuable experiences.”

Michael Caspino, a Newport, California-based NIL attorney, created something of a firestorm Sunday when he told On3.com that Rashada took a “considerably lesser NIL deal” in picking the Hurricanes.

“Jaden left millions on the table,” Caspino said, adding that he represented Rashada in negotiations. “Millions. He did not pick the highest offer. He went there because he loves Miami, the coaches, and the opportunity.”

Ruiz told the Herald and then tweeted that he has never spoken to Caspino about Rashada. Caspino confirmed that on Twitter.

The NCAA has said NIL deals cannot be used to entice recruits. Enforcement director Jeff Duncan has told schools that the NCAA is “working tirelessly to develop information and investigate potential violations.”

But On3.com said it reviewed a standard NIL contract from Caspino and that “the language in the deal seemingly would make it compliant with existing bylaws.”

Rashada is rated the nation’s 30th best overall 2023 prospect by Rivals and the 45th best by 247 Sports. He would be UM’s second-highest rated incoming quarterback ever behind only Kyle Wright, who was the third-rated prospect in the 2003 class.

Rashada — who picked UM over LSU, Florida, Mississippi, Texas A&M and others — told CBS Sports that “Miami just felt like home when I went there the second time [last week].

“Really, they all just hit it on the bat. Miami’s kind of got a California vibe, so I guess that’s what really set it off a little bit. And [offensive coordinator] Josh Gattis and coach [Mario] Cristobal, those are two proven coaches that kind of can show that they’re all about winning. So that was a big part of it, too.

“I want to go in there and win my teammates as a player, kind of get their respect and after that, it’s just build the relationships, try to become a national championship team. It takes a quarterback to lead that, so that’s what I’m ready to go do.”

He told On3.com that he believes Miami “will run their conference these next few years.”

Rashada threw for 2,220 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions as a junior at Pittsburg (California) High. He is the second quarterback in UM’s 2023 class, joining Milton, Florida-based three-star prospect Emory Williams, who committed last week.

Both commitments are non-binding, with 2023 players not permitted to sign until a three-day window in mid-December.

Presuming they both sign with Miami, they would join Tyler Van Dyke, Jake Garcia, freshman Jacurri Brown and Peyton Matocha as UM’s quarterbacks on scholarship if all of those players are on the team in 2023. If Van Dyke has a strong season, he could turn pro after the 2022 season; ESPN’s Todd McShay projects him as a potential first-round pick.

Rashada — who is already lobbying other recruits to join him at UM — said he liked that two of the Hurricanes’ all-time greatest quarterbacks — Dorsey and Gino Torretta — also attended high school in California.

“There’s like two quarterbacks that made a national run, Heisman run up there from Northern California itself that went to Miami,” Rashada said. “So I know that played a pretty big role, knowing that it’s been done before and you can be next to do it.”

As for Ruiz, he recently met with NCAA staffers and told the Miami Herald earlier this month that “I was asked by the university to go discuss [with three NCAA officials] how I put my deals together. It was big picture. I don’t think it was anything accusatory or anything like ‘I got you’ or ‘I’m going to get you.’ I actually enjoyed it.’

Ruiz told WPLG-ABC 10’s Will Manso last week that “I voluntarily went because I wanted to explain what we do. They were extremely cordial, extremely professional…. From my vantage point, it was simply informational. I never felt they were pressing me.”

The NCAA hasn’t publicly explained why it interviewed Ruiz, but a UM official said there is no indication that the Hurricanes are the subject of an NCAA investigation into any wrongdoing.

Ruiz has said that every NIL deal with any UM player is approved by UM compliance office officials. Ruiz’s deals involve players filming videos and delivering social media messages to promote his companies LifeWallet and Cigarette Racing.