Florida State's QB Competition Heating up Early in Spring

All of the attention is on Florida State's quarterback room early in spring practice.

The Seminoles have a few things to figure out before the 2026 season kicks off in late August. Mainly, who will end up winning the starting job and grabbing the reins of the offense?

There are two primary contenders; redshirt senior Ashton Daniels and redshirt freshman Kevin Sperry. Both players are in vastly different spots in their respective paths.

Daniels is joining his third program in three years. He was primarily a backup at Auburn in 2025 but flashed down the stretch of the season. Meanwhile, Sperry earned the No. 2 job as a true freshman. He's got a year of experience in the offense, but only has 17 career pass attempts.

The pair are going at in the early stages of Florida State's slate of spring practices.

Mike Norvell Discusses Ashton Daniels, Kevin Sperry, And FSU's QB Room

The Seminoles are currently on spring break, but the first three practices gave the coaching staff a chance to begin evaluating the room.

Performing in the Tour of Duty is one thing, and stepping up between the lines is another. As expected, FSU has seen some good things, but there is plenty of room to improve.

"It's been good. As these guys, especially today, first day in pads, I think we had a good first week," Norvell said. "You want to be able to see the explosive plays show up, and that's happened.

"You see the arm strength, you see the understanding, the velocity of the ball that guys are throwing," Norvell added. "There's still some things that we need to be better with within our drops, certain locations on the ball, and where we want it to be, and it ties together with all things."

Daniels isn't necessarily known for his accuracy as a passer, but that's one aspect that has stood out to head coach Mike Norvell.

"It is definitely a talented room. Having Ashton come in, I've been really pleased," Norvell said. "For a guy that has a lot of recognition for his movement skills, he's been able to sit there, locate the ball, and be able to put the ball in good places. I think every day he's had a vertical explosive play that showed up."

As for Sperry, it's evident that he's much more comfortable compared to a year ago. The game is starting to slow down, and that's allowing him to execute.

"You feel Kevin, I'd say his confidence and understanding of all things playing the position," Norvell said. "He's cutting it loose. I think that's a fun group to watch."

The quarterback room is rounded out by redshirt senior Dean DeNobile, redshirt junior Michael Grant, and true freshman Jaden O'Neal.

A former four-star prospect, O'Neal will miss the season due to an injury. That's not stopping him from staying involved where he can.

"We've got Dean DeNobile that came in, him and Michael Grant. It's a fun group to coach," Norvell said. "I'll even give a shout out to Jaden O'Neal. Unfortunately, I mentioned the other day he'll be out this year, but he's very active in the meeting room, and I've been pleased with that."

Florida State returns to the practice fields on Tuesday, March 24.

Who Does Florida State Have At Quarterback For The 2026 Season?

Ashton Daniels, Redshirt Senior

Dean DeNobile, Redshirt Senior

Michael Grant, Redshirt Junior

Malachi Marshall, Junior

Kevin Sperry, Redshirt Freshman

Jaden O'Neal, Freshman

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