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Sep 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

FSU's Tommy Castellanos disrepected in ACC quarterback rankings?

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated May 9, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Florida State went to the NCAA Transfer Portal to find its starting quarterback for the second consecutive offseason, bringing in former Boston College standout Tommy Castellanos. The pairing made sense as Castellanos played for FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn at UCF and was recruited by the Seminoles out of high school.

Not to mention, Castellanos lit up Florida State twice at Boston College, nearly ending the program's undefeated record in 2023 and taking down the Seminoles in Doak Campbell Stadium last fall.

There was some chatter surrounding Castellanos' exit from the Eagles before the conclusion of the 2024 season. However, he does deserve a bit of credit for instantly taking on a leadership role at Florida State. It seems like Castellanos has quickly earned the respect of his new teammates.

Spring practice was a little up-and-down but at the same time, Florida State dealt with various injuries at wide receiver, running back, and along the offensive line, making it hard to foster chemistry. If Castellanos can work his way back to the form that he was in two years ago, it's hard to put a ceiling on the Seminoles' offense.

Maybe even better, Castellanos will be able to put a motivation under his belt ahead of the fall. Earlier this week, 247Sports' Carter Bahns took a stab at ranking every quarterback in the ACC.

Castellanos came in a little lower on the list than some might've expected, slotting in at No. 11 overall.

Obviously, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, Miami's Carson Beck, SMU's Kevin Jennings, and Georgia Tech's Haynes King rounded out the top four. With that being said, Castellanos was behind quarterbacks such as Louisville's Miller Moss (No. 5), Pittsburgh's Eli Holstein (No. 7), NC State's CJ Bailey (No. 8), Virginia Tech's Kyron Drones (No. 9), and Syracuse's Steve Angeli/Rickie Collins (No. 10).

"In the right system, Tommy Castellanos can be more than just a serviceable quarterback," Bahns wrote. "That was the case two years ago at Boston College and seems more than likely in 2025 at Florida State, as he is an ideal fit for the Gus Malzahn scheme."

"It is probably fair to flush last season's results considering the Eagles moved to a less favorable offense for Castellanos' skill set," Bahns added. "He has upside as a 1,000-yard rusher and was a more refined passer last year, even in a strange campaign. There is real bounce-back potential here."

The ranking feels a little low for Castellanos but it's also a testament to the depth and experience in the ACC this year.

It wouldn't be a surprise if he works his way up the list by the end of the season.

In 2023, Castellanos became the first player in Boston College history to pass for 2,000+ yards and rush for 1,000+ yards in the same season. Last year, he completed 99/161 passes for 1,366 yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions.

Florida State will be looking to find the right balance between Castellanos' arm and legs in 2025. The journey all begins on August 30 when the Seminoles kick off against the Alabama Crimson Tide.