Who is Thomas Castellanos? Meet the Seminoles’ young QB who scored his first touchdown against Alabama

In the 2025 season opener vs No. 8 Alabama on August 30, 2025, Florida State quarterback Thomas "Tommy" Castellanos scored the Seminoles' first touchdown of the season in his first game in Garnet and Gold.

After a dazzling first possession, Castellanos found Squirrel White for a deep pass and then barreled into the end zone on a 9-yard run, leveling the game up with the Crimson Tide and putting Florida State on the scoreboard. In three drives, he was an instant offense weapon, going 7 of 8 passing for 81 yards with 52 yards rushing to go along with that TD.

Thomas Castellanos announces himself with an electrifying debut

Prolific as always, Castellanos immediately introduced himself. He opened the drive with a swing pass to Duce Robinson for a quick gain, then scrambled away from pressure for a first down.

He confidently fired a long pass down the seam, despite questions leading up to the game about his passing consistency, though freshman Jayvan Boggs could not corral the pass. Castellanos made another long throw on the next play, a third-and-long, connecting with senior receiver Squirrel White for a diving 40-yard catch that set up the football sneak for the touchdown.

That drive was a textbook example of why Florida State trusts him to run the offense.

And with toughness against a rugged Alabama defense, he showed quick decisions and mobility, and a willingness to take chances deep against the secondary.

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How the young QB showcased his dual-threat ability

What Castellanos did in his debut a week ago that was eye-popping was that he was able to put stress on a defense in several different ways. His rushing prowess drew commitment from Alabama's linebackers and safeties early in the down, creating room for receivers downfield.

Simultaneously, his ability to stand calmly in the pocket and complete critical throws muted skepticism on his passing game.

Castellanos showed he can mesh with Florida State's hard-hitting offensive identity by confusing and keeping the defense off-balance. His arm and legs brought a spark to the Seminoles that had been lacking the last couple of seasons.

From Boston College to Florida State, a journey paying off

Castellanos got transferred to Florida State after a solid year with the Eagles, following one season at UCF. In two years, he accumulated over 3,600 passing yards and 33 passing touchdowns while rushing for over 1,300 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He already had a reputation as the ultimate ACC dual threat, as in dual-threat quarterback, and that reputation only grew Saturday.