FSU football: Nole commit Brian Courtney looks solid in action (video)

2022 FSU football commit Brian Courtney had some fans scratching their heads when he committed to the Noles in April.

I get it. Courtney was unknown, and his commitment seemed to come out of nowhere. He also had not visited campus for the coaches to evaluate in person.

However, I wrote the coaches may have found a sleeper before everyone else as Courtney only had around three offers.

None of the offers were from any Power 5 program, and only in-state Virginia(where Courtney resides)has offered since he committed to the Noles.

I think part of that is because Courtney is locked in and has visited Tallahassee at least three times since committing in April.

Courtney, who players quarterback and linebacker in high school, will play tight end at FSU and finally got to show what he can do at the Seminole Showcase Sunday:

The first thing that sticks out is his acceleration. One thing that caught my eye when he committed was his verified 4.5 time in the 40-yard dash. That translates to the film here. One person on Twitter pointed out he looked somewhat awkward catching the pass. However, he caught the ball with his hands away from his body and didn’t bobble it at all.

Here you can see his athleticism, and the catch here looked natural, catching the ball in stride(he had to slow down for the pass). Imagine Courtney catching the pop pass up the seam against North Carolina last year(the pass walk-on Preston Daniels caught). Courtney might have housed that one with his speed.

Parting Thoughts

Almost all tight ends need a year or two to develop before they can contribute in college. Courtney is new to the tight-end position but understands that’s his future in college. I’m sure he’ll begin to work on the intricacies, as Mike Norvell demonstrated in the video between now and when he arrives in Tallahassee.

The other thing that stood out when he committed, was learning Courtney is incredibly smart. A guy that’s smart, athletic, and coachable? I understand the video isn’t in pads and without contact, but I think it backs up what the coaches saw on film. That’s a hat tip to their ability to evaluate, but also attention to detail to find an obscure player, and not be afraid to offer when other schools wouldn’t.

That’s a guy that could contribute in a couple of years with solid coaching.