Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Alabama star addresses Florida State QB's bold claims before college football season opener

Originally posted on NIL on SI | By JC Shelton | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 11:55 AM ET

Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos' comments about the season opening matchup against Alabama didn't slide past Crimson Tide star Deontae Lawson, who issued a response to the former Boston College transfer on Wednesday.

Castellanos sat out the final stretch of the 2024 season at Boston College before transferring to Florida State in the winter.

Head coach Mike Norvell's Seminoles certainly need a spark at the position following a 2-10 season, and Castellanos, holding an On3 NIL valuation of $375,000, is expected to lead the charge in 2025.

The challenge will begin in a significant way, as Alabama is slated to travel to Tallahassee for a Week 1 battle between the two historic programs.

“People, I don’t know if they know, but you go back and watch every first game that I played in, we always start fast," Castellanos said in June to On3's Pete Nakos. "I dreamed of moments like this. I dreamed of playing against Alabama. They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.”

Lawson, holding an $882,000 On3 NIL valuation, returns as one of the most experienced players on Alabama's roster. Recruited and coached by legendary Nick Saban before the transition to Kalen DeBoer in 2024, the former five-star addressed Castellanos' claims at SEC Media Days.

"All disrespect will be handled accordingly," the redshirt senior said.

Alabama LB Deontae Lawson on Tommy Castellanos’ comments about Tide not being able to stop him: “All disrespect will be handled accordingly.”
— Clint Lamb (@ClintRLamb) July 16, 2025

Castellanos later doubled-down on his claims during a workout, which also happened to include Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton.

“Oh, you play with Bama? Listen, y’all boys gonna see,” Castellanos quipped to Horton.

It appears that Castellanos, a senior, is using his media opportunties to build some "confidence" within his new team at Florida State.

“On the real, though. If you watch any interview, I don’t never talk like that, bro,” Castellanos said. “But them boys coming off a 2-10. I just had to install some confidence."

Giving Alabama bulletin-board material could bring some unwanted expectations, though, as the Tide sit third nationally in blue-chip ratio and enter the season with a bitter taste in their mouths following an inconsistent 9-4 year.

The last time the two met came in the 2017 season opener, a 24-7 Alabama victory in Atlanta.

Florida State-Alabama is slated for Aug. 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC) from Doak Campbell Stadium.