That pass was a thing of beauty, a tight spiral slicing right through that Florida humidity. You could almost freeze that moment as the Seminoles’ brand new 6’6″ offensive weapon kept his eyes locked on its flight. The Florida State football social media team knew exactly what they were doing when they dropped that clip of quarterback Tommy Castellanos launching a perfect strike to his latest pickup—a former USC wide receiver who also plays baseball—for a touchdown. Just the fifth practice this spring, and already, the pieces are fitting together like magic. And Mike Norvell? He’s grinning ear to ear because he knows what’s coming.
Enter Duce Robinson, the former five-star recruit and the best tight-end prospect in 2023, who came to Florida State with one mission—to be one of the best in the country. Mike Norvell sees it in him. Demands it from him. Spring ball has been a proving ground, and the expectations couldn’t be higher. But while Robinson brings the highlight-reel plays, it all starts with the man delivering the pigskin—Thomas Castellanos.
On3’s J.D. PicKell couldn’t have been clearer about why Castellanos is the right guy for the job, reflecting on his time at Boston College and why things didn’t quite click there. “Boston College was a College Football Playoff team—help me understand why this is the guy for us,” PicKell said. “Sounds like when he was at Boston College, they ran an offense that was very much an NFL-style system from May one Bill O’Brien, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I mean, Thomas Castellanos isn’t your prototypical NFL quarterback.”
That last part is the key. Castellanos is a playmaker, a dual-threat weapon who thrives when the offense is built around his strengths. At Boston College, he was in a system that didn’t fully unleash what he could do. That won’t be the case at Florida State, not under Norvell, and certainly not in a scheme that’s taking on shades of Gus Malzahn’s run-heavy, RPO-based approach.
“He’s a guy that is a tremendous runner of the football, does great when he has some ad-lib potential,” PicKell continued. “He’s not a guy that’s going to sit back there, do a three-step drop for you, stay in the pocket, and just be a statue—that’s not his game. With how it shook out at Boston College, the feeling is they didn’t really do a lot to cater the offense to Thomas Castellanos’ skill set. That’s the absolute opposite of what they’re going to do here in 2025 in the Gus Malzahn system with him running the show.” That’s why things feel different in Tallahassee. Because in 2025, this offense isn’t asking Castellanos to be something he’s not. It’s trusting him with the task and letting him run with it.
And when it’s time to go over the top? That’s where Duce Robinson comes in.
Duce is locked in#NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/2lPt0h9twe
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) March 28, 2025
PicKell wasn’t shy about his expectations for the former Trojans star, calling him exactly what Florida State needed to complete this passing attack. “When you speak to the passing game, they went out and got a baller in Duce Robinson from USC—his skill set speaks for itself,” he said. The tape is there. The size is there—220 lbs. But what really stands out is the way Robinson operates behind the scenes.
“Dude’s an absolute ball player, he’s a worker, has been the report on him. He is a guy that is setting the temperature in that wide receiver room—they expect him to be wide receiver one.” It’s not just about talent; it’s about mentality. Robinson is leading from the front, and his presence is already elevating those around him.
The touchdown catch in that viral video? It wasn’t a walk in the park. Ja’Bril Rawls almost made a play on the pass, getting just enough of it that it could’ve fallen incomplete or even resulted in a turnover under different circumstances. But Castellanos put just enough height on it, just enough touch, to keep it out of reach. Robinson did the rest. This is what Norvell envisioned—a quarterback who can extend plays and a receiver who can turn contested catches into touchdowns. It’s chemistry in the making, a connection that could redefine Florida State’s offense in 2025.
For Robinson, the pressure isn’t a burden. It’s the reason he’s here. Asked about the high expectations that come with playing at Florida State, he didn’t hesitate. “It means the world. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. “When I was being recruited here, [Coach Norvell] told me, ‘Don’t come here unless you’re ready to be your best,’ and he’s gonna push me to be my best, and he’s really lived true to that.” That’s the culture Norvell is building. No shortcuts. No handouts.
Mike Norvell creating a monster in Tallahassee
Duce Robinson didn’t transfer to FSU just to blend in—he came to stand out. The 6-foot-6 former Trojans star landed in Tallahassee with big dreams of becoming one of the best wide receivers in the country, and HC Mike Norvell sees that exact potential glowing in him.
But as Norvell put it, “He didn’t come here as a finished product.”
And that’s okay—because Duce is embracing the grind. Through the first five spring practices, Robinson has been turning heads with his size, athleticism, and raw playmaking ability. Still, Norvell isn’t rushing anything.
“There’s work to be done, and there are things that he recognizes and embraces for the opportunities to get better,” Norvell said. “That’s where you got guys that have the potential to be great players—when they have a great edge and desire for growth and improvement.” Robinson’s story is still being written, but if early signs are any indication, he could very well be the next big product of Gus Malzahn’s offensive tree—and the next Seminole star to make Saturdays electric in Tallahassee.
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