If you know anything about Keyshawn Helton at all -- his work ethic, his mindset, his self-belief -- then you won't be surprised to hear the way his coaches and teammates talk about his rehabilitation from last year's season-ending knee injury.
"This offseason he was a machine," FSU wide receivers coach Ron Dugans said.
"When I first met Keyshawn, he was the hardest worker I had ever met," fellow receiver Jordan Young said.
"He did an incredible job in his rehab," added head coach Mike Norvell.
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That's Keyshawn Helton.
The kid who was "too small" for Power 5 colleges. Who was a nephew of Seminole legend Derrick Brooks but still had to have an opposing high school coach recommend that Willie Taggart look at his film just before Signing Day, which eventually led to a scholarship offer. Who worked his way into FSU's rotation at wide receiver despite being the least heralded of any scholarship player on the roster.
That Keyshawn Helton wasn't going to let a little thing like a devastating knee injury slow him down for too long.
"It's just that drive and passion and love for the game," Helton said on Tuesday. "I want to be the best. It's just that simple. That's how I work. And I wanted to prove to myself that I can still play this game at a high level.
"Each and every day, I just attack that day with the same mindset and approach."
*ALSO SEE (from earlier this year): From darkness to light: Inside FSU WR Keyshawn Helton's road to recovery
Helton started FSU's preseason camp a few weeks ago in a green non-contact jersey. And Norvell says the Seminoles will continue to "be smart" with Helton as he prepares for the season opener on Sept. 12 vs. Georgia Tech.
But the third-year receiver, who had 17 catches for 239 yards and three scores a year ago before being knocked out for the season, was cleared for full contact for the scrimmage on Saturday night.
"I'm just blessed," Helton said. "To get back in that white jersey, to have that confidence in myself, it's unreal, man. I'm just blessed."
And from the sound of things, he's a blessing for that position group.
Both Dugans and Norvell have pointed out how much it means to the rest of the receiver corps to see someone work as hard as Helton did in coming back from his knee injury.
