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The University of Georgia Athletic Association is suing one of the football team’s former star pass rushers.
Georgia is asking for a total of $390,000 in damages after defensive end Damon Wilson II opted to transfer to Missouri after the 2024 season. The department cited a NIL buyout clause in Wilson’s contract and requested that a judge force the defensive end to enter arbitration to reach a settlement. The clause in Wilson’s previous agreement effectively functions as a buyout fee for early termination.
Missouri Tigers defensive end Damon Wilson II (8) celebrates after recovering a fumble in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Columbia, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Wilson was recently served with a subpoena, legal records show.
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After recording 3.5 sacks during his freshman and sophomore seasons at UGA, Wilson signed a new deal with Georgia’s Classic City Collective. In January, just two weeks after getting the new contract, Wilson transferred to Missouri.
Wilson had nine sacks in his first regular season with the Tigers.
Georgia Bulldogs helmets on the bench during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia on April 12, 2025. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
The formation of collectives has become more common in schools across the country. Many collectives include liquidation clauses in their contracts with players to try to protect financial investments in athletes and discourage transfers.
Wilson reportedly received payments totaling $30,000 under the terms of his latest deal with Georgia before leaving Athens, Georgia. The athletic association claims Wilson owed the $390,000 within 30 days of his departure.
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“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters into binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” Georgia spokesman Steven Drummond said in a statement to ESPN.
Wilson could not be reached directly for comment. Missouri-based attorneys Bogdan Susan and Jeff Jensen represent Wilson. Susan claimed that Wilson’s career decisions were never motivated by money.
Damon Wilson II (8) of the Missouri Tigers looks on against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri on November 15, 2025. (Jeff Le/Getty Images)
“After all the facts come out, people will be shocked at how the University of Georgia treated a student athlete,” Susan said in a statement. “It’s never been about the money for Damon, he just wants to play the game he loves and pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.”
Georgia’s move marks one of the first times a school has publicly sought NIL compensation from a former athlete for a breach of contract. The dispute sets the table for potentially setting a precedent for whether liquidation clauses will act as an effective, defensible substitute for more traditional buyout fees.
It should be noted, however, that Arkansas’ NIL collective retained the services of an attorney to try to enforce a buyout clause in quarterback Madden Iamaleava’s deal. Iamaleava ultimately spent his freshman season with UCLA. Wide receiver Dazmin James also left Arkansas, prompting his former school to file a grievance.
