Observations from FSU Football's Final Tour of Duty Session of 2024
Florida State completed its set of Tour of Duty workouts on Thursday morning as the team eyes the beginning of spring practice later this month. The session marked the first time this offseason that the media has been allowed inside the IPF to view the workouts.
Here are some observations and notes from the workout that NoleGameday compiled.
— The session lasted about 75 minutes and strenuously tested players across the roster to push them to their limits.
— The workout was split on both sides of the IPF between the offense and defense. One half of the field focused on conditioning and agility drills while the other seemed to revolve around more position-specific drills. For instance, the quarterbacks worked on drop-backs and footwork while utilizing a towel to simulate throws rather than an actual football.
— Coming into the morning, I was curious about how the Seminoles would look physically with a ton of new faces across the roster. Plus, I wanted to see who was stepping up as leaders amongst the team with a ton of veterans moving on from last year. I thought the effort was remarkable and the sheer size and pure athleticism on display was very encouraging. There are still plenty of freaks on this team who will have a chance to shine during the spring.
— As far as leaders, there were the usual veterans on both sides of the ball chiming in such as safety Shyheim Brown, linebacker DJ Lundy, cornerback Azareye'h Thomas, defensive end Patrick Payton, and running back Lawrance Toafili. What caught my eye was newcomers jumping into the mix to encourage teammates to finish drills and provide energy. Transfer wide receiver Malik Benson, transfer running back Jaylin Lucas, and freshman defensive back Charles Lester III were impressive in this aspect.
— There were plenty of standouts on the day but the performance of defensive tackle Darrell Jackson should have fans fired up. It's clear that he's committed to the process as he's in excellent shape. Head coach Mike Norvell and Josh Storms both mentioned Jackson as someone who has taken another leap this offseason. It doesn't make sense for him to move like he does at nearly 330 pounds, which he carries remarkably well. That will be fun to follow into spring practice.
— Shyheim Brown, Greedy Vance, Earl Little, and KJ Kirkland were a couple of the defensive backs I saw flying around. Brown and Vance were both acting as vocal leaders, imploring and pushing those around them. Little looks the part as he begins his time with the Seminoles, it's easy to see why the staff thinks he can become something special. Kirkland has added more weight to his lower-body and possesses plenty of explosive with his long and rangy frame.
— The newcomer that surprised me the most was Malik Benson. His leadership really stood out as Benson made it a point to stay at the front of every drill after completing his reps to root on his teammates. He's also just an impressive athlete with plenty of fluidity. If the Seminoles can translate that onto the field, watch out for the Alabama transfer. Norvell even said that he's "very, very excited" to see Benson in action.
— Jalen Brown was another receiver who rose above the pack during the workout, as well as fellow underclassman, Hykeem Williams. The former five-star prospect struggled to acclimate at times last season but he's worked hard on his conditioning over the last year. That paid off as there were visible strides in the right direction. Norvell believes Williams is one of the standouts of Tour of Duty, along with Darrell Jackson.
— The tight end room was a group I paid ample attention to with a lot of unknowns entering spring practice. Kyle Morlock, Jackson West, and Brian Courtney all look to have added more muscle to their frames. West, in particular, was one of the standouts of the workout due to how he's built physically. He earned praise from Norvell throughout the workout. Landen Thomas had some moments too.
— My first impressions of quarterback DJ Uiagalelei are that he's massive but moves very well for his size. His legs are essentially like tree trunks. Brock Glenn pushed his teammates through drills and put forth a ton of effort. Luke Kromenhoek was easy to spot during the workout and he showed off some speed, even beating fellow freshman Kam Davis on the back end of a couple reps of a conditioning drill.
— Moving to the offensive line, transfer Riche Leonard IV caught my attention immediately due to his effort. He's trimmed up some since committing to Florida State a couple of months ago and it wouldn't be a surprise if he's the favorite to lock down one of the guard spots. Julian Armella, Andre' Otto, and Jayden Todd were three other members of the unit who flashed. Armella and Otto are in great shape while Todd has intriguing athleticism despite standing at 6-foot-6, 350-pounds.
— After the pictures that emerged over the last few weeks, I can confirm that Kam Davis is still just as impressive in-person. He looks like he's been in the program for multiple years already. Jaylin Lucas and Samuel Singleton were two other running backs I noted as standouts. Lucas is compact but brings a ton of speed to the field.
— Marvin Jones Jr, Sione Lolohea, and Tomiwa Durojaiye seem to be what they were advertised as coming out of the transfer portal. Jones Jr. is already one of the more physically built players at his position. Joshua Farmer and Daniel Lyons are growing in the right direction.
— DJ Lundy looks awesome. He's in even better shape and is moving at a ridiculous level for being 244 pounds. Blake Nichelson was one of the more consistent performers at linebacker.
— Walk-on defensive end Grant Fielder is a first off the bus type.
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