COLUMBIA, MO — The evolving landscape of college athletics has officially reached the courtroom. In what legal experts are calling a “landmark” confrontation for the NIL era, Missouri defensive end Damon Wilson II has filed a blistering countersuit against the University of Georgia, accusing his former program of a “civil conspiracy” to punish him for entering the transfer portal.
The legal fireworks began earlier this month when Georgia’s Athletic Association (UGAA) moved to compel Wilson into arbitration. Their goal: to collect $390,000 in “liquidated damages.” The dispute centers on a term sheet Wilson signed with Georgia’s Classic City Collective in December 2024—just weeks before he transferred to Missouri in January 2025. Georgia argues that by leaving, Wilson breached a contract that required him to pay back the equivalent of the deal’s remaining value.
A Career in the Balance
Wilson, a former five-star recruit who blossomed into a second-team All-SEC star for the Tigers this season, isn’t just playing defense on the field. His countersuit, filed Tuesday in Boone County, alleges that Georgia officials didn’t just ask for money—they actively tried to sabotage his career.
According to the filing, Georgia representatives falsely told at least three other major programs that Wilson carried a $1.2 million buyout. Wilson’s attorneys argue this was a calculated lie designed to “tarnish his reputation” and scare off potential suitors who might otherwise have paid his actual costs. The suit further claims Georgia delayed his entry into the transfer portal and engaged in “tortious harassment” throughout the 2025 season to impair his performance for a conference rival.
The $500,000 “Term Sheet”
At the heart of the fight is a 14-month agreement worth $500,000. Wilson was paid an initial $30,000 installment on Christmas Eve 2024. However, the contract contained a “loyalty clause” stating that if he withdrew from the team or entered the portal, he would owe a lump sum equal to the total remaining value of the contract.
“Georgia appears intent on making an example of someone,” Wilson’s attorney, Jeff Jensen, said in a statement. “They just picked the wrong person.” Wilson’s team argues the document was a non-binding “term sheet” signed under pressure without legal counsel, rather than an enforceable employment contract.
Setting a Precedent
This case marks the first time a major university has publicly sued a former player to recoup NIL funds. If Georgia wins, it could validate the use of “liquidated damages” as a way for schools to trap athletes in multi-year commitments, effectively creating the “buyouts” that the NCAA has spent years trying to avoid.
If Wilson prevails, it will reinforce the “free agency” nature of the transfer portal, ensuring that NIL collectives cannot use financial penalties as a “poison pill” to prevent player movement. As Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz noted, “What we’re being asked to do has never been done before… there’s gonna be a lot of mistakes made.”
With Wilson projected as a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after leading Mizzou with nine sacks this year, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For the rest of college football, the verdict may decide whether a player’s signature belongs to the school or themselves.