Reasons why I like the potential pickup for FSU of QB transfer Thomas Castellanos

Florida State football suffered the bad news about true freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek entering the transfer portal.

This news stings because Kromenhoek was a borderline five-star prospect in the 2024 cycle. Plus, he had relationships with several recruiting class members and was a likable guy on the team.

The quarterback position is bleak for the Seminoles as veteran option DJ Uiagalelei is expected to move on from the program, and Luke Kromenhoek enters the portal. Florida State is left with Brock Glenn, Trever Jackson, and Kevin Sperry on the roster.

That is a bunch of unproven pieces to a position that means so much to a team's success. As a result, the Seminoles have brought in Boston College quarterback transfer Thomas Castellanos for a visit in Tallahassee on Wednesday.

Castellanos is someone that Florida State recruited out of high school as a running back in the 2022 cycle. The signal-caller had experience with Malzahn, given that he played with the Knights. The fan base has had mixed feelings with Castellanos given that he has smaller size and he "quit" on his team after the Eagles benched him.

I know that I might be in the minority, but I like the potential of Castellanos in the offense. He has familiarity with what Malzahn is asking him to do, can establish the running game, and utilizes his legs when the offensive line breaks down.

I understand that he isn't going to be a player that can win a national championship by himself. However, I do believe that he maintains the floor of the program from bottoming out as Norvell tries to get the program back on track.

I know that Castellanos did not run the football as much in 2024 as he did the year before, where he had over 1,000 yards rushing, but if he can get close to that number in 2025, it could be a scary sight.

With Castellanos entering the transfer portal after being benched, it is important to realize that his former head football coach, Gus Malzahn, decided to want him back to run his offense after he transferred from the Knights. That should speak volumes if Malzahn has a plan for him.

Overall, I like the potential pick-up as Florida State gets their offense back in order. Castellanos is one of the few quarterbacks that knows how to run the Malzahn offense. Give me an effective offensive line and serviceable weapons around him, and let's ride!