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Published Feb 21, 2022
McDonald return is key, but Seminoles seek more answers at tight end
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Ira Schoffel  •  TheOsceola
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Our final spring position preview for Florida State's offense is tight end, which is an integral part of Mike Norvell's offense.

The Seminoles bring back a third-year starter at the position in redshirt senior Camren McDonald, but they must find a replacement for veteran Jordan Wilson, who has graduated and moved on.

Tight ends coach Chris Thomsen has a wide variety of players in his position group, but few sure-things. And with Norvell sometimes looking to use two or three tight ends on the field at the same time, there should be tremendous competition at this position this spring.

Note: We will be previewing every position group leading up to the start of FSU spring practice on March 5. The annual Garnet & Gold Game is set for April 9.

Earlier position previews: Wide receiver | Running back | Offensive line | Quarterback |

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What we know

Mike Norvell loves him some tight ends.

As soon as he arrived in Tallahassee, Norvell made it clear that he appreciates the versatility of tight ends and plans to use them in a variety of ways -- as blockers for the run and the pass, split out wide as receivers and also lined up in the backfield as H-backs.

And he has backed up that interest by bringing in a slew of players at that position.

Even with two tight ends from last season moving on -- senior Jordan Wilson used up his eligibility and redshirt freshman Carter Boatwright transferred to FAU -- the Seminoles have a long list of options at the position. Behind starter Camren McDonald, there are four or five scholarship tight ends and several walk-ons.

Four different tight ends caught passes for FSU last season, and others saw playing time. With McDonald the only proven playmaker returning at the position, however, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Norvell bring in even one more tight end through the transfer portal -- especially if a strong option becomes available.

What we need to learn this spring

Who will step up to be the No. 2 tight end now that Jordan Wilson is gone?

Wilson, a UCLA transfer who missed the 2020 season due to injury, came back last fall and emerged as a valued member of the Seminoles' offense. He was a solid blocker at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, and he made some very important catches.

While his numbers weren't spectacular -- Wilson finished with 11 receptions for 132 yards -- he came through in several big moments.

This spring will provide a huge opportunity for several backups from last season to prove they can step up and fill that role. The primary candidates are likely redshirt junior Wyatt Rector, sophomore Jackson West and redshirt sophomore Markeston Douglas.

Rector, a former quarterback, has been at tight end for two full seasons now and should be fully acclimated to the position. Most of his action so far has come on special teams, where he served as a team captain this past season.

West played a lot of special teams as a true freshman, which is a testament to his athletic ability and toughness. He also displayed a nasty streak in practices, which shows that he won't back down from competition.

Douglas is extremely talented and is a very good athlete for his size; he was listed at 6-4 and 276 pounds this past season. He is a former basketball player who only played one season of football in high school, so the Seminoles knew he would need time to learn the position. While he hasn't yet earned much playing time on Saturdays, Douglas has shown the ability in practice to use his big body to make tough catches in the red zone.

Main attraction

This should be a big year for Camren McDonald.

The redshirt senior is entering his third season as a starter and is the Seminoles' top returning target in the passing game (by number of receptions). He caught 24 passes for 243 yards this past season with two touchdowns; only running back Jashaun Corbin caught more balls in 2021.

McDonald is one of many players who should benefit from the Seminoles' expected improvement on the offensive line and at wide receiver. A more balanced attack, and perhaps most importantly a threat of a vertical passing game, should open things up for McDonald and the other tight ends to find space over the middle.

The former four-star prospect has come a long way since he signed as a lanky 6-4, 205-pounder coming out of high school. He now is listed at 6-4 and 242 pounds and should continue to improve as a blocker.

As a fifth-year senior, McDonald undoubtedly will be extremely motivated considering this will be his final season of college football.

Wild card

Norvell hasn't yet picked up a tight end through the transfer portal, which means he might be comfortable with the group he has in place. Or he is planning to use this spring to evaluate his returning players' progress, and then see what transfer targets come available in the summer.

Of the players not mentioned above, walk-on Preston Daniel is the only other tight end who has seen real playing time on Saturdays. And while he is credited with being a very smart player, he hasn't shown the type of athletic ability needed to make much of an impact at this level.

The other potential candidates for playing time are true freshman Brian Courtney, redshirt sophomore Koby Gross and walk-ons Austin White and DJ Daniels -- but all four would be considered major long shots. Gross, White and Daniels all have worked with the scout team almost exclusively, and Courtney is a converted high school quarterback who has never played the position.

So if guys like West, Douglas and Rector don't deliver impressive springs, Norvell might have to look at the portal.

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