Former FSU quarterback James Blackman is a player who I know got a raw deal while at FSU, and Florida State fans don’t respect him the way they should. Blackman signed with FSU as a three-star prospect out of Belle Glades, Florida, but was thrust into the starting lineup as a freshman who didn’t early enroll once Deondre Francois got hurt and was out for the rest of the 2017 season.
The crazy thing about Blackman’s freshman season is that he actually had better numbers than five-star DJ Lagway’s freshman season, while playing with a terrible offensive line and less talent at the skill positions.
Blackman never got a fair shake under Willie Taggart, and the 2020 season was his fourth offensive coordinator since arriving at FSU. The 2020 season was also COVID, so he didn’t have a chance to fully practice and learn the offense.
Blackman was met with boos from the Florida State fanbase, one of the last times he appeared in garnet and gold. He transferred to Arkansas State, where he went on to put up some solid numbers. Blackman signed with the Miami Dolphins as a UDFA in 2023, before getting released later that year.
Blackman appeared on Jordan Travis’s podcast a few months ago and gave some insight into his time at Florida State.
Blackman didn't mention anything about continuing to pursue a professional career in football, but it looks like he's still playing the game that got him out of Muck City and getting paid to do it:
QB James Blackman is a Pirate 🏴☠️
— Orlando Pirates (@OrlPirates) April 2, 2026
The former @FloridaState and @AStateFB quarterback threw for over 9,200 career yards and 65 touchdowns, earning an opportunity with the Miami Dolphins #anchorszn | #runthesouth pic.twitter.com/qJGYiaWMxm
James Blackman could have had a much better college career if he had continuity and a better offensive line to play behind.
Blackman will turn 28 years old later this year and probably has gone further than anything dreamed based on what his recruiting ranking was out of high school and the expectations for him when he got to Florida State.
He wasn't a superstar, but he had an underrated college career based on the hand he was dealt while at Florida State. Congrats to him on this opportunity and for continuing to represent Nole Nation the right way.