After a dismal 5-7 season and the exit of his starting quarterback, Mike Norvell used the portal to find his next signal-caller. The QB room is stacked with talent for the 2026 season. However, much of it is unproven. Even then, the Noles’ head coach isn’t mincing words about what he expects from his quarterbacks.

On Friday, after wrapping up the first week of spring camp and marking their first day in full pads, Norvell was asked what he saw in his QB room. The FSU head coach was appreciative but clear about the room for improvement.

“It’s been good,” said Norvell. “I think we had a good first week… You want to be able to see the explosive play show up, and that’s happened. And so you see your arm strength, you see the understanding, the velocity of guys, and the velocity of the ball that guys are throwing. There [are] still some things we have to be better at within our drops, certain locations on the ball where we want it to be,” added Norvell.

“And that ties it together with all things, like there are times that you can see a ball that’s right here, but if a receiver is a yard short, in or out, then that doesn’t look right. Those are things you have to continue building on with timing and reps. Then there are times that we might be a second late at quarterback because of a false step or something like that. Those are the things that you get to grow through.”

“But it is definitely a talented room,” said the coach.

The presence of Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels adds a degree of curiosity around the program. Coming out of high school, Daniels was highly regarded for his movement skills, described as a “highly mobile” scrambler with long strides that allow him to “gobble up space.” In 2024, at Stanford, he set the school’s single-season rushing record for a QB with 669 yards.

Norvell has praised Daniels for his ability to create “explosive vertical plays.” Despite a reputation primarily as a runner, Daniels has shown the ability to “sit there,” locate the ball, and put it in “good places” for his receivers. But last season at Auburn, he appeared in just four games and recorded 797 yards and 3 TDs. Still, Daniels provided a spark, most notably in a high-scoring overtime loss to Vandy, where he recorded over 450 total yards.

While Daniels brings veteran experience from the transfer portal, Norvell is also tasked with cultivating talent from within, starting with rising redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry, who saw limited action last season. In 2025, he appeared in three games and served as a backup to Tommy Castellanos, throwing for 194 yards. Still, “his confidence” and “understanding of all things playing positions” stand out to Norvell.

The addition of redshirt senior Dean DeNobile provides a ‘safe’ backup option. He threw for over 6,900 yards at the FCS level but is expected to serve in a supporting role. While returning redshirt junior Michael Grant, the longest-tenured QB on the roster, is expected to serve primarily in a depth role, freshman QB Jaden O’Neal will miss the 2026 season due to knee surgery. Norvell was pleased to see that O’Neal, despite being out for the year, remains highly engaged in the meeting room.

“So, I think it’s a fun group to coach,” said Norvell. Now, the unit is adapting to Gus Malzahn’s system in his second year as OC. Although both Daniels and Sperry are viewed as dual-threat options who fit Malzahn’s preference for mobile QBs, Norvell is not out of the woods regarding his QB. Speaking on the Cover 3 Podcast, analyst Bud Elliott delivered a blunt evaluation, questioning whether Daniels truly represents an upgrade.

“There are spots where they could be better in theory, but I don’t think that there are spots where you’re like, ‘Yeah, they’re definitely better,'” said Elliott. “Ashton Daniels isn’t a clear improvement to me over Castellanos. He could be better, but he also could easily be worse.”

But Norvell believes Daniels’ experience could be the key to unlocking consistency. “This is really his fourth offense since he’s been in college to have to learn,” said Norvell. “That’s a good thing when it comes to a lot of things you can fall back on… There’s not much we’re asking him to do that’s totally different from something he’s done before.”

Why Thomas Castellanos couldn’t return for Mike Norvell

Thomas Castellanos’s FSU career is over after the NCAA denied his waiver for a fifth year of eligibility. Rather than appeal the decision, the dual-threat QB has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“Being a Seminole has been an absolute dream come true,” wrote Castellanos in a heartfelt message to the program. “From the relationships built to the moments that will stay with me forever, I’m proud to graduate from this incredible university, and I will carry the garnet and gold with me wherever I go.”

Although the former FSU QB had sought the additional year because he appeared in just five games during his freshman season at UCF. But under NCAA rules, his eligibility expired, so the QB was forced to end his FSU career.

Still, last season, he delivered a productive campaign for the Seminoles. He recorded 2,760 yards and 15 TDs across 12 games. There was no doubt about his potential, but due to the eligibility battle, he now waits to see what his NFL future holds.