Florida State is coming off one of its worst seasons in program history. The Seminoles went an abysmal 2-10 in 2024, marking their lowest win total since 1974. However, many of FSU’s problems came at the quarterback position last season, which HC Mike Norvell upgraded in the transfer portal this offseason.
The Seminoles brought in Boston College transfer QB Thomas Castellanos, who is one of the most exciting playmakers at the position in the country. While the young signal-caller is projected to be an upgrade for the Seminoles in 2025, one analyst is still worried about his ability to consistently produce at a high level.
ESPN Analyst Tom Luginbill Has Concerns about Thomas Castellanos, Florida State
Thomas Castellanos started his career with the UCF Knights, committing to them in 2022 as a three-star recruit. The 5’11”, 201-pound quarterback transferred to Boston College after his freshman season and started for the Eagles in 2023 and 2024.
While Castellanos has shown flashes of greatness, ESPN’s Tom Luginbill has his concerns about his willingness to battle through adversity.
On the “Crain and Company” podcast, Luginbill, who has seen Castellanos play live multiple times, questioned the young quarterback’s ability to keep his head on his shoulders when things get tough.
“I call him diet Kyler Murray. I’ve seen him at his absolute best, I’ve seen him at his absolute worst,” Luginbill said. “My issue with Thomas Castellanos is that he has not performed well or displayed the competitive temperament or competitive toughness when things don’t go his way.”
Not only does Luginbill have concerns about Castellanos’ competitive temperament, but he also believes that the young quarterback needs to be overall more consistent to succeed at Florida State.
“You have to play at a high level. You can’t be a ‘yo-yo’ player. Up down, up down, that’s exactly what he has been,” Luginbill said.
Luginbill is right about that, as while Castellanos has looked like one of the best players in the country at some points in his career, he has also had times where he’s looked like the worst.
The most significant inconsistency in Castellanos’s game is his accuracy. Throughout his career, he has completed 58.6% of his attempts. That has led to turnover issues, as he had 19 interceptions in his two years with the Eagles, 14 in 2023 and five in 2024.
While he has his concerns, Luginbill believes that he will positively impact Florida State this season, and playing under Gus Malzahn, who is now the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator and recruited him at UCF, will benefit his development.
“I do think Castellanos is obviously an upgrade. His familiarity with offense, having played with Gus Malzahn before,” Luginbill said.
Time will tell if Castellanos shows maturity and overall improvement with the Seminoles in 2025. For Florida State to have a bounce-back year, the young quarterback must be at the top of his game all season long.
