Melina Myers-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) during the first half against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
With the 2026 college football season just weeks away, it appears that the Texas Tech Red Raiders aren’t comfortable riding with Will Hammond as their starting quarterback in the wake of the Brendan Sorsby controversy.
Stewart Mandel of The Athletic reports that the Red Raiders are expected to add former Florida State, Boston College, and Central Florida quarterback Thomas Castellanos via the transfer portal.
Castellanos, who was last seen working out as a wide receiver at Miami Dolphins rookie camp, entered the portal on Friday after being granted a temporary injunction that granted him eligibility for a fifth season.
How Is Thomas Castellanos Eligible To Play For Texas Tech?
On July 31st, a federal judge in Colorado granted an injunction that allowed most athletes from the high school class of 2022 who’d already completed their careers to return for a fifth season.
However, the NCAA quickly appealed the ruling and won its appeal. Additionally, the injunction granted by the Colorado judge did not create a special transfer portal window, meaning players could only return to the same school.
So, what came next?
Castellanos, along with several others, filed their own lawsuit in Kentucky that sought immediate entry into the transfer portal. In the filing, he stated that he could not return to Florida State because they did not have a spot for him after signing Auburn’s Ashton Daniels last winter.
On Friday, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Brian Edwards ruled in favor of Castellanos and 12 other college athletes.
Is He Even An Upgrade For Texas Tech?
The Red Raiders were seemingly all-in on Sorsby before his gambling scandal, and even went to extreme lengths to try and keep him eligible.
Ultimately, those efforts failed, in part due to Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
Since then, it appeared that the Red Raiders were content to roll with Hammond, who started two games a year ago but suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter of a victory over Oklahoma State in October.
Castellanos, meanwhile, went 5-7 in 12 starts for Florida State, completing 58.3 percent of his passes for 2,760 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also added 557 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Whether Castellanos is an upgrade on Hammond remains to be seen. And with just two weeks of practice to learn the offense prior to the start of the new season, it may well be Hammond’s job to lose.
But one thing is clear from the move: the Red Raiders and head coach Joey McGuire are not comfortable with their quarterback situation.