Florida State’s preseason work is already offering a glimpse of what Mike Norvell thinks could become a strength up front.
Norvell said Friday that one of the biggest priorities early in camp is simple: make room. The Seminoles practiced in shells, and the head coach kept coming back to the same theme.
"Creating space offensively," Norvell emphasized after Friday's practice, which featured the team in shells. "Trying to have a huge emphasis on our leverage and just moving people."
That mission starts with the offensive line, the group charged with protecting quarterback Ashton Daniels and opening lanes for the offense to function. Norvell has been upbeat about the unit since ACC Kickoff, and that belief didn’t fade after another practice that gave him a closer look at the front.
"I think it's a group that they've got a high potential," Norvell said Friday. "Guys that are capable of creating space and moving people."
Herb Hand’s group is still coming together, but the pieces are beginning to settle into place. Xavier Chaplin arrived through the transfer portal with the expectation of becoming the left tackle, and Hand said he has matched that billing.
Andre' Otto, a returning player from Florida State, has been working next to him at left guard while also taking reps at center. Bradyn Welch-Joiner has slotted in at center after coming in via the portal, while Nate Pabst has mostly handled right guard duties but has also seen time at both tackle spots and center.
On the other side, Chimdia Nwaiwu has been working at right tackle since the spring and looks positioned to bookend Chaplin.
Four of the projected starters are new to Florida State in 2026, but Welch-Joiner said the group has moved quickly toward cohesion.
"I feel like everybody is a veteran. Everybody's gelling together.
I feel like we've got a lot of guys in the room that have a lot of experience. So just us for to have a lot of experience and being close to one another and learning the playbook together and just Coach Hand showing us the way and just being able to trust in us and what we do.
I feel like we just are a high-profile offensive line," Welch-Joiner said on Friday.
The depth behind that first group is another reason for the optimism. Sandman Thompson has been getting steady praise as a center option.
Paul Bowling brings interior versatility after doing the same at his previous school, and Sean Poret offers similar flexibility. Jayden Todd adds more guard depth, while Jonathan Daniels and Chastan Brown have surfaced as tackle options.
Florida State’s transfers have already piled up 134 career games and 117 starts. The returning Seminoles have combined for 48 games, and Otto’s three starts are the only starts among that group.
The first few days of camp have shown that the line is handling itself well, even as the heat rises and the competition tightens. On Friday, the Seminoles’ front held up against a defense Norvell described as explosive.
"Obviously, there's just the the importance of every rep and just the the work together is is huge," Norvell added. "I think those guys have done a good job just from time in spring, summer, and even the first few days.
There was some really good IDs, some really good where you see guys working in combinations. Our defense presents a lot of challenges just with the explosiveness they have on the d-line, but I thought the guys did a good job, and there's some good flashes of what they could do."
The practice also got chippy at times, something Welch-Joiner welcomed.
"I love it. Because we are brothers, brothers are going to fight," Welch-Joiner said.
"That brings competition, as well. We are chipping back-and-forth.
We know when we step on the other field, it is us versus them and we know what we're going to do."
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