A quarterback rising up draft boards this season is Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos. His jump is partly because expectations were low after a rough 2024 season at Boston College.
Last year, Castellanos posted a career-low 57% completion rate and threw a career-high 14 interceptions. His trademark rushing ability was also stifled, as he managed only 194 yards and 2.1 yards per carry after exploding for 1,113 yards in 2023. That decline led to a late-season benching and ultimately a transfer. When he entered the portal, he wasn’t highly regarded as 247Sports ranked him the 395th overall player and 23rd quarterback available.
One program that did show interest was Florida State, coming off a 2–10 season, its worst since 1975. The connection was Gus Malzahn, hired as offensive coordinator, who had previously coached Castellanos at UCF.
Now, Castellanos is looking like an NFL prospect. In the season opener against Alabama, he completed 64% of his passes for 230 total yards in a 31–17 upset. Through three games, he’s completing a career-best 71% for 594 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 139 rushing yards and six total scores.
Strengths, concerns, and NFL projection
His athleticism remains his calling card. He has 69 career runs of 10+ yards and uses his quickness both as a designed runner and to extend plays in the pocket. That mobility often opens up explosive plays downfield.
As a passer, the evaluation is more complicated. Castellanos has good arm strength and can hit the deep ball, but his mechanics raise red flags. BQA, a leading quarterback training company, has noted his tendency to throw sidearm, which leads to inconsistent accuracy. His footwork in the pocket also needs refinement, and he struggles to add touch on shorter throws.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!@Tommy_casto ➡️ @Ducerobinson2 #NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/e9NRKEtCK2
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) September 6, 2025
One of the biggest concerns with Castellanos is ball security. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he lost 14 fumbles, and in 2024 alone he added 14 interceptions. That gave him 21 turnovers last year, including seven lost fumbles. The positive sign is that so far this season he has protected the ball much better with no fumbles and just one interception.
Projecting to the NFL, Castellanos will need a system that maximizes his mobility and incorporates quarterback runs. A team like the Philadelphia Eagles could be an intriguing fit, taking him as a developmental Day 3 pick. Given his raw athletic ability, some teams may also explore a position change to wide receiver.