Georgia Athletics is taking Missouri football defensive end Damon Wilson II to court in a novel, nearly first-of-its-kind case over an NIL contract dispute, the Columbia Daily Tribune confirmed through a university source and court documents filed in Georgia by the Bulldogs.
UGA is attempting to take Wilson into arbitration and is seeking $390,000 in liquidated damages from the star edge rusher, who transferred to the Tigers in January 2025, over what the university views as an unfulfilled contract in Athens. The lawsuit is not against the University of Missouri, only Wilson.
According to an ESPN report, Georgia is arguing Wilson signed a contract — a common practice in the NIL era — with what was then UGA’s main NIL and marketing arm, Classic City Collective, in December 2024.
That collective has since shut down, as UGA has partnered with Learfield to negotiate and facilitate NIL deals in the revenue-sharing era.
The report, citing documents attached to UGA’s legal filings, show Wilson signed a 14-month deal worth $500,000 with the Bulldogs. He was set to earn monthly payments of $30,000 through the end of the contract, as well as two $40,000 bonus payments.
Before announcing his intention to transfer in January, he reportedly was paid $30,000.
The contract states if Wilson left the team or transferred, which he ended up doing by transferring to Missouri, then he would owe the collective issuing the payments a lump sum equal to the amount remaining on his deal.
The bonus payments seemingly were not included, which brings that total to the $390,000 Georgia is now seeking in court.
Wilson, per the report, was only paid a fraction of that sum, but the university is arguing he owes the full amount in damages. It’s unclear why Georgia is arguing it is owed the full amount in liquidated damages.
The Tribune has reached out to a Georgia Athletics spokesperson for comment. At the time of publishing, UGA had not responded to the request for a statement.
According to documents viewed by the Tribune through the Georgia courts records system, UGA filed an “application to compel arbitration” on Oct. 17 in the Clarke County Superior Court, which includes Athens and the University of Georgia. Wilson was served with a summons to appear in court, according to documents, on Nov. 19, three days before the Tigers faced Oklahoma.
A similar case occurred at Arkansas last spring, when quarterback Madden Iamaleava transferred out of Fayetteville after spring camp. It’s unclear whether or not that case has been resolved.
Wilson spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Georgia. He transferred to Mizzou ahead of spring camp in 2025 and has emerged as one of the top pass rushers in the SEC.
Per Pro Football Focus, Wilson generated 49 pressures on opposing quarterbacks this season, which was the second-most in the SEC behind only Colin Simmons at Texas. He’s listed at 6-4, 250 pounds and could declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, where he would likely be a Day 1 or 2 pick.
The lawsuit raises a contentious point.
By suing Wilson for allegedly not fulfilling the terms of his contract, the school could be treading close to arguing Wilson was paid to play. That’s not how NIL deals currently work. The deals and their payments are typically for an athletes’ likeness for brand deals and marketing. Think of it as advertising money, not salaries.
There’s a reason that’s the case. By paying players for play, there’s an argument they are university employees. University and athletic department leaders are widely against making that distinction, because it would disrupt the amateurism model in place for college athletics.
Wilson’s contract likely includes “liquidated damages” language, which are intended to stop players from transferring.
Missouri currently has multiple players on two-year contracts. Part of that is in the hope that they do not move on after one season.
If Georgia’s arbitration case against Wilson is successful, that would be a groundbreaking ruling in college athletics that could give more weight to liquidated damages clauses in athlete contracts.
