Mike Norvell points out one FSU Football player who impressed on first day of spring

Florida State had high hopes for running back and All-American returner, Jaylin Lucas, when he transferred into the program last season. With that being said, Lucas never really got an opportunity to show off his vast speed and athleticism after suffering a leg injury on Labor Day that sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

Since early September, Lucas has been working his way back to full strength. His efforts paid off as the redshirt junior took the field for Florida State's first spring practice on Wednesday. Lucas instantly jumped back into the mix, providing a reminder of just how dynamic a weapon he can be when he's healthy.

"Jaylin Lucas got his first reps back and showed some speed, explosiveness. I thought that was impressive," head coach Mike Norvell said after practice.

Lucas made enough progress this offseason to participate in some parts of FSU's Tour of Duty. That had Norvell confident about what he would see out of the speedy athlete on day one.

Norvell did share that the Seminoles are going to stay cautious in their approach with Lucas as he continues to get his feet back under him.

"There was some uncertainty just exactly what it looked like. He got some work in Tour of Duty which I would say is accelerated but he's busted his tail to get back and be able to put himself in a position," Norvell said. "I felt very confident in what today would look like just because of the work I saw in Tour of Duty. He really attacked his rehab throughout the course of the season to be able to show what he showed today. We're going to be smart with him still just with overall workload and things like that as he does return but it was definitely great to see him back out there."

Obviously, Lucas has to pick his spots at 5-foot-9, 173-pounds and Florida State will have to stay diligent in how it uses him across the offenses. Norvell pointed out that Malzahn has a history of getting the best out of his playmakers.

"He's a great athlete. He can really do it all," Norvell said. "Coach Malzahn has a great track record of utilizing playmakers in a variety of ways and definitely a great playmaker."

Fellow running back and rising sophomore Kam Davis is excited to see what Lucas can do in 2025 after watching him work to get past his injury.

"Phenomenal. Hard-working guy, hard-working that's all he's been doing, trying to get healthy, get back on the field, and that's what he's done," Davis said. "Just ready to see how this year play for him especially since he wasn't available last year."

Florida State returns to practice on Thursday for its second session of the spring.

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