FSU football should pursue college football QB coming off 4,000-yard season

The Florida State Seminoles are more than likely headed to the transfer portal to find their starting quarterback for the 2026 season.

It's a move that hasn't worked out for the Seminoles over the past two years. The acquisition of DJ Uiagalelei resulted in one victory before he was knocked out for the remainder of the season due to an injury. There were some positive moments by Tommy Castellanos this fall, but those were overshadowed by his struggles on the road and rough final four games.

Let's face it; an elite quarterback can cover up major warts and shortcomings within a program. Just look at what former star Jordan Travis did at Florida State in 2022 and 2023. Then, take a glimpse at the last two years. 23-4 compared to 7-17, a drastic difference.

It might not be that simple, or maybe it is. One player, the right player, can change it all. That's what Florida State needs in the portal, but will the program be willing to pony up and pursue a game-changer?

FSU Needs To Pursue Elite Portal Quarterback

Earlier this week, North Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker announced he was entering the portal in January.

Mestemaker is someone you can build a program around. An unranked recruit in the 2024 class, he walked on at North Texas, a few hours from his hometown of Austin. Mestemaker redshirted as a true freshman but burst onto the scene with his first start in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.

That led to a breakout campaign this fall where Mestemaker led the FBS in passing yards and tied for second in passing touchdowns.

Overall, Mestemaker started in 13 games, completing 292/416 passes for 4,129 yards with 31 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He added five scores on the ground.

Mestemaker threw for 300+ yards in five games. That included a whopping 608 passing yards against Charlotte, a program and American Conference record.

The performance led to Mestemaker being named first-team all-conference and conference player of the year. He was also honored with the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the best player who began their college career as a walk-on.

The 6-foot-4, 211-pound quarterback has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Mestemaker is going to be a coveted option in the portal. He's already listed as the second-best transfer quarterback according to On3. Mestemaker is going to draw a massive financial commitment from somebody.

Florida State might not be in a position to pony but at some point, the Seminoles are going to need to make a play for some of the top transfers in the country. Relationships are great, but money talks. It's a spend or lose game now.

Whether it's Mestemaker, Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby, or Old Dominion's Colton Joseph, a proven winner would go a long way in helping get FSU back on track.

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