Thomas Castellanos is taking his fight to the NCAA, but a return to Florida State does not look like the most likely outcome.
The former FSU quarterback reportedly plans to file a lawsuit seeking access to the transfer portal after a federal ruling tied to members of the 2022 recruiting class. The issue is not just eligibility. Castellanos needs immediate relief from the NCAA’s transfer restrictions before he can actually use that eligibility anywhere other than Florida State, assuming a school has both the room and the interest.
That is where the Seminoles’ situation matters. Florida State has already moved forward with transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels and built its 2026 roster under the assumption that Castellanos’ time in Tallahassee was finished. With Daniels now getting the QB1 job in August, there is little reason for the program to unwind an offseason’s worth of planning.
Castellanos has said he would be open to coming back as a quarterback or as an athlete, but any path back would likely depend on his value and on what role a team is willing to pay for. Florida State could view him as a piece in another spot, and his athleticism gives that idea some appeal. He led FSU with 557 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns last season, production that would make him an intriguing option at wide receiver or in the return game.
Even so, the fit is not simple. The Seminoles would have to create space in a roster that is already built and figure out compensation for a former starting quarterback whose role would be undefined.
The timing does not help either. College football’s only general portal window now runs from Jan. 2-16, which means the next chance to move would not come until after the 2026 season.
As On3’s Pete Nakos wrote, "Now he is suing the NCAA to ensure he can enter the transfer portal. Judge Charlotte Sweeney wrote in an order earlier this week that the Colorado suit does not open the transfer portal, which is why Castellanos is preparing to file one,"
For now, Castellanos has reportedly planned a lawsuit, but no court has ruled on his request or granted the immediate relief he would need to enter the portal and land with another program.
Until that changes, the possibilities remain open but uncertain.
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