Through two weeks of the season, Florida State is outscoring its opponents 108-20 with 591 rushing yards and 49 first downs.
An infusion of talent on the offensive side of the ball, led by transfers quarterback Tommy Castellanos and center Luke Petitibon, sparked an energy and identity FSU sorely lacked a season ago. On defense, a new scheme implemented by defensive coordinator Tony White helped the Seminoles turn the page from an uninspired defense into a vaunted unit with all 11 working in unison.
Even with the new additions, a few players are going under the radar for their contributions through the opening stretch of the year. While the coaching staff has sung their praises, the rest of the Florida State community may need to turn their attention to the names below. Here are five unsung heroes from FSU football through the opening two weeks of the 2025 campaign.
No. 1: Right tackle Micah Pettus
The strange departure of Micah Pettus’ decision to leave Ole Miss at the end of the 2024 season and subsequent commitment to Florida State left many open question marks heading into 2025. Sure, Pettus boasts some of the best physical attributes of any lineman in the country. But what version of Pettus would FSU receive? Through two games, a dominant one. According to PFF, Pettus leads the Florida State starting offensive line in pass blocking (84.8), run blocking (63.4) and overall offense (66.4). In FSU’s most recent win against East Texas A&M, Pettus played 32 snaps and recorded a grade of over 70 in all three categories listed above. Although Petitibon deserves his praise for running the offense along side Castellanos, Pettus turning into the best version of himself needs more attention.
No. 2: Safety Ashlynd Barker
Earl Little Jr. is the heartbeat of FSU’s defense through two weeks, but he is hardly a one-man band at the safety position. Ashlynd Barker stepped up in the wake of Conrad Hussey’s dismissal and never looked back. The safety was tied for the Florida State lead in tackles in week two with four and recorded two pass break-ups the week prior against Alabama. Barker ranks first on the FSU defense in tackling according to PFF, with an 85.3 grade, and is third on the Florida State defense in snaps with 79. After two years in Tallahassee, Barker is breaking through and holds the necessary physical attributes to shut down opposing offenses.
No. 3: Running back Ousmane Kromah
The only thing holding back the Ousmane Kromah hype train from leaving the station is the FSU coaching staff. Through two games, Kromah has played only 26 snaps, behind fellow RB Gavin Sawchuck, Jaylin Lucas and Roydell Williams, who did not play in week two. However, every time Kromah touches the ball, the offense ignites. Kromah leads FSU running backs in rushing yards through the first two weeks of the season and scored the first touchdown of his collegiate career against the Lions last Saturday. PFF also gave Kromah a 74.9 offensive grade through two weeks in the season. Hopefully, after the bye week, the FSU staff begins to take the training wheels off their highest commit of the 2025 recruiting class.
No. 4: Linebacker Blake Nichelson
In the offseason, the Seminoles brought in two veteran linebackers, Elijah Herring and Stefon Thompson, to pair with returning players Omar Graham Jr. and Justin Cryer, potentially leaving Blake Nichelson as the odd man out. The increased competition brought out the best in Nichelson to open the season, as he has played some of his best football in an FSU uniform. Against Alabama, he racked up four tackles and a tackle for loss and followed up that performance with another tackle for loss versus ETAMU. He holds an impressive 82.0 tackling grade according to PFF, to go along with a 73.3 run defense grade, the highest in his career. Nichelson clearly needed a fresh start in White’s new system and is making the most of his opportunity.
No. 5: Tight end Markeston Douglas
With so many versatile and vital pieces in the tight end room, forgetting about the blocking tight end would be easy. But due to Randy Pittman Jr.’s injury, the importance of Markeston Douglas increased and he has made the most of that open door. Douglas ranks eighth on the Florida State offense in snaps, with 64, but of those 64, only seven have been spent running routes; the rest are either run or pass blocking. Currently, PFF gives Douglas a 75.4 pass blocking grade, the second highest of his career and a 58.1 run blocking grade, the highest of his career. As mentioned, even without catching a pass through this point in the season, Douglas’ impact cannot be overlooked when discussing the success of the running game to open the year.
