With a talented new starting quarterback in Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos, Florida State seems very confident heading into 2025. Unfortunately for the Seminoles, some analysts seem to think the transfer QB’s comments about Alabama might be a bit too far.
What did he say? Will it bite him and the Seminoles in the butt? Analyst JD PicKell thinks so.
Florida State Calling Out Alabama Could Be Costly, Asserts Analyst JD PicKell
Before his transfer from Boston College to Florida State, people around college football thought QB Thomas Castellanos played well during his time at Chestnut Hill. Tucked away from the national radar, Castellanos acquitted himself well with 47 combined touchdowns.
With a solid career trajectory, the senior decided to bring heat to their Week 1 matchup against Alabama. On August 30, the Seminoles will welcome the Crimson Tide to Doak Campbell Stadium. In an interview with On3’s Pete Nakos, the signal-caller provided shade for the ages.
NEW: Florida State QB Thomas Castellanos tells @PeteNakos_ he’s dreamed of playing against Alabama🍢
“They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”https://t.co/emSKxktkB1 pic.twitter.com/MMz1I6a4OT
— On3 (@On3sports) June 23, 2025
“They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”
On3 analyst J.D. PicKell appreciated the swagger but provided words of advice.
“This is a wild thing to say, especially when Florida State had the year they did last year. Especially when Tommy Castellanos got benched at Boston College. As a coach for Florida State, I’d be like, ‘Come on, dude. Seriously? Not even playing the game for a few months, and you want to give them bulletin board material?” PicKell said.
“Tommy, let’s put the Twitter fingers away. Yes, Saban is not there; it doesn’t matter, it’s still Bama.”
Castellanos, through his words, ordered a case of permanent markers and proceeded to draw giant targets on their backs. The last three words in the PicKell ad stand out. As a program, Alabama dealt with the jokes about losing to Vandy all offseason and every chuckle from critics.
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As a result, they want to make their first opponent pay. PFSN writer Bjorn Bergstrom discussed the Tide’s ten best returning players. Of those, six will eagerly greet Castellanos on August 30 on defense.
Overall, Castellanos plays an electric style of football. However, he is not Cam Newton and doesn’t possess the passing acumen to back up his flash. All he managed to do was make the Alabama defense even hungrier to hit him for all four quarters.
Kalen DeBoer isn’t Saban. However, before he stepped foot on the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, he won 89.3% of his games at Washington, including an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Will Castellanos’ faith in his abilities transfer onto his offensive line when Alabama bears down on him?
