Thomas Castellanos is pushing to keep his college career alive, but that doesn’t automatically mean a reunion with Florida State is on the table.
The former FSU quarterback reportedly intends to sue the NCAA in an effort to gain access to the transfer portal after a federal ruling tied to members of the 2022 recruiting class. For now, though, there is no immediate relief in place, and no court has granted the kind of ruling he would need to jump into the portal and land at another school.
That matters because Florida State has already moved on. The Seminoles invested in transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels and spent the offseason building their 2026 roster with the assumption that Castellanos was done in Tallahassee. Daniels has already been given the QB1 job, and with August here, there is little reason for FSU to reopen the plan it spent an entire offseason putting together.
Castellanos has said he would be open to coming back as a quarterback or as an athlete, but that idea comes with its own complications. If he were to return to Florida State, he would likely expect compensation that matches his value, and the Seminoles would have to make room for a former starting quarterback in a roster that is already set.
There is at least one football argument for why he could still help. Castellanos led FSU with 557 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns last season, and his ability in the open field would give the staff another option with the ball. He could also fit at wide receiver or in the return game.
Even so, the money and the role make that path murky. Florida State would have to carve out space on a roster that has already been built and pay him for a role that is not clearly defined.
Waiting for the next transfer window would not solve the problem, either. College football’s only general portal window now runs from Jan. 2-16, which means the next chance 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,"
At this point, though, it remains a plan rather than an action with legal backing. Until a court weighs in and provides the relief he needs, every possible landing spot is still just a guess.
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Joseph McVay Is Giving Vanderbilt Fans A Reason To Believe
Joseph McVays offseason has become one of the quieter reasons Vanderbilts offense feels a little more intriguing heading into the season. The wide receiver has drawn praise from receivers coach Alex Bailey for the way he has handled his personal growth, with the focus shifting just as much to his mindset as to what he can do on the field. For a player trying to carve out a bigger role, that kind of progress can matter as much as any practice rep.
McVay has made it clear he wants to approach the game differently and bring a more consistent presence to the Commodores offense. The coaching staff has noticed the maturity, too, especially the way he is taking coaching and learning from mistakes instead of getting stuck on them. If that growth carries over once the games start, Vanderbilt may have found a receiver whose value goes beyond the stat sheet. [Read more 🡒]