High school football: California quarterback Jaden Rashada signs historic NIL deal

Pittsburg (Calif.) junior four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada told his "old school" football coach Vic Galli recently about a NIL (name, image, likeness) opportunity he had with a start-up app.

Galli, at the end of his 21st season as head coach of the Pirates, and 30th year in coaching, scowled a little and shrugged.

"This NIL and app stuff is all new to me," he said. "It's a whole new world."

Rashada is believed to be the first high school football player in the country to sign a NIL deal, a four-figure contract with AIR (Athletes in Recruitment), which describes its product as a "three-sided digital platform that's a cross between Linkedin and a dating app, but for college recruiting."

Though admittedly resistance to technology, Galli is full speed ahead with anything his 6-foot-5, 190-pound signal-caller supports.

"Jaden is a great kid and if he has an opportunity to do something to benefit him and others, then I'm all for it," Galli said. "He's a bright kid, hard working with a good conscience. I trust what he's doing won't affect the team in a negative way and won't affect his eligibility.

"It doesn't surprise me at all that he's a pioneer of sorts and leading a path." With NCAA loosening its grip on NIL restrictions over the summer, a surge of high-level prep basketball players took advantage, including another San Francisco Bay Area athlete, Jalen Lewis. The five-star standout, who was going to be a junior at Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), instead at 16 became the youngest prospect to turn professional in the US, signing with the Overtime Elite league.

He moved to Atlanta and kissed his prep and college basketball careers goodbye.

Rashada's deal is vastly different in that he's not moving anywhere, and he won't lose any prep or college eligibility. He simply promotes the app from his social media platforms, as he did Tuesday for the first time.

As long as he doesn't include his school, team or uniform as part of the promotion, he's all good, according to California Interscholastic Federation Executive Director Ron Nocetti.

Nocetti quoted CIF by-law 212.C.3-4, that in part states that it prohibits "wearing a school team uniform or any identifying school insignia while appearing in any advertisement, promotional activity or endorsement for any commercial product or service. …

"This provision is not intended to restrict the right of any student to participate in a commercial endorsement provided there is no school team or school affiliation."

According to ESPN, there are 15 state high school associations that do prohibit student athletes from making money on their name, image or likeness, but California has never been one according to Nocetti. As an example, he said many Southern California student-athletes are members of the Screen Actors Guild.

"The only thing personally I implore is that students do all their due diligence with the NCAA and other national agencies to make sure this does not harm their amateur status," Nocetti said. Galli said he's confident that Rashada "crossed every T and dotted every I," in his research before signing.

Rashada's thoughtfulness, decision-making and clarity is part of what makes him such a good leader and excellent football player — he's the fifth-ranked quarterback nationally in the Class of 2023 according to 247Sports. He threw for 2,076 yards, 25 touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games for the 2021 North Coast Section Division I champions.

All those things help make him "a perfect fit," for the product, said AIR app founder James Sackville. Besides his quarterback spot, recruitment and widespread social engagement, Sackville was impressed with Rashada's poise, initiative and demeanor.

The 24-year old, a native of Australia, was a punter for four seasons at SMU. He's been around the game, athletes and recruiting enough to know a good product and a spokesman to promote it.

"It's obvious (Rashada) has a great head on his shoulders," Sackville said. "For him to be the first high school football player to take advantage of NIL changes is historic. He's helping to give other young athletes a voice at the table."

Rashada didn't immediately return texts to MaxPreps, but told ESPN the deal "feels pretty good. Maybe it can open up more opportunities for others and people can be more aware of it. It's a blessing to be able to make some money and promote a good brand."

Galli said Rahada is seeking another NIL deal, but with an even wider, more humanitarian scope: To partner with Safeway this winter to provide food gift cards for the homeless.