Texas Tech may be circling back to quarterback market again, and Tommy Castellanos has emerged as the name to know.
A court ruling Friday, Aug. 21, in Louisville, Kentucky, granted extra eligibility to 13 players, including Castellanos, the former UCF, Boston College and Florida State dual-threat quarterback. The Athletic, citing an unnamed source, reported Texas Tech as his most likely landing spot, while On3 reported the players covered by the ruling can enter the NCAA transfer portal for a one-week window and that Castellanos is expected to do so. Castellanos had already indicated he could not return to Florida State because he did not have a roster spot.
The Red Raiders already have Will Hammond as their No. 1 quarterback after he returned from a season-ending knee injury in 2025. Behind him are Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis and sophomore Lloyd “Chub” Jones III.
Castellanos brings a track record that fits the kind of player who can change a quarterback room quickly. Last season at Florida State, he completed 58% of his passes for 2,760 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 557 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground. Over his career, he has piled up 8,433 yards of total offense and 72 total touchdowns.
His path to this point has been winding. He played five games as a true freshman at UCF before transferring to Boston College, where his 2023 sophomore season turned heads. That year he threw for 2,248 yards and 15 touchdowns, but also had 14 interceptions, and he ran for 1,114 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The following season was shortened by injuries. Castellanos appeared in only eight games, passing for 1,366 yards and a career-high 18 touchdowns while cutting his interceptions to five.
He also rushed for 194 yards and one touchdown. Late in the year, he lost the starting job and entered the transfer portal again.
His eligibility had expired after four seasons in four years without redshirting, and he had even received minicamp invitations from the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins to try out as a wide receiver. During the pre-draft process, he was measured at 5-foot-9 3/4 and 198 pounds.
The court ruling that changed his status came as athletes from the 2022 class pursued a fifth year under the NCAA’s new 5-for-5 model. Those who completed four seasons in the past four years without redshirting were not covered, prompting a wave of lawsuits. On Friday, Castellanos and 12 others were granted a temporary restraining order by Jefferson Circuit Judge Brian Edwards.
McGuire has already signaled Texas Tech will keep scanning for ways to improve the roster. Asked on Aug. 15 about the possibility of adding players from that 2022 class, he said, "We're always going to look to make this roster better."
"We are monitoring this situation daily, (general manager James) Blanchard and I," McGuire said. "Not only just daily; we're talking throughout the day what everybody's hearing and what court cases."
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Former BC Quarterback Suddenly Has One More Twist In His Career
Thomas Castellanos has suddenly been handed a path to one more college football season, a development that could matter in Lubbock as Texas Tech continues shaping its quarterback room. A judge granted an injunction allowing him to enter the transfer portal and play a fifth season, a ruling tied to a lawsuit challenging NCAA eligibility rules that has opened the door for athletes from the high school class of 2022 to return for another year.
For Texas Tech, the timing makes Castellanos a name worth tracking as the offseason unfolds. He is expected to transfer to the Red Raiders, but the larger picture is still in motion because the NCAA has appealed the decision, leaving the eligibility question unresolved even as the portal window offers a fresh possibility. [Read more 🡒]
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