When Wyatt Rector was told by Florida State assistant coach Chris Thomsen on Monday that he was wanted in head coach Mike Norvell's office immediately, the Seminoles' tight end was genuinely worried.

Thomsen didn't sound happy. And when Rector walked into Norvell's office a few minutes later, he wasn't exactly calmed by seeing fellow walk-on Deonte Sheffield walking out.

Little did he know that Sheffield had just been awarded a scholarship a scholarship a few moments before. So he had know way of knowing that Norvell was about to give him the exact same honor.

"I was kind of nervous," Rector said. "But then I walked in and Coach Norvell, as serious and intense as he is, told me to take a seat right away. And he just started talking to me, saying he likes my improvement since the spring, that I've shown him what it takes to be put on scholarship, and he told me he was putting me on scholarship.

"And I immediately broke down. Because it was just a weight lifted off my shoulders and my parents' shoulders."

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Rector's journey, like that of most walk-ons, has been a unique one.

He was a three-star quarterback recruit out of Leesburg High who totaled almost 10,000 yards of total offense in his prep career. He initially signed with Western Michigan but appeared in just one game as a true freshman before deciding to transfer to Lenoir-Rhyne.

Rector was barely at the Division-II school in Hickory, N.C., for an hour before he realized he had made a mistake.

"I got up there, and I just didn't like it," Rector said.

So he went home to Leesburg and worked two jobs. One was at Walgreen's; the other was working on roofs with his dad.

Rector's parents, especially his father, told him to stay in shape and not give up on his football dream. They reminded him that another school might call him at some point.

Well, Florida State did. And Rector joined the Seminoles' program in 2019 and worked on the scout team for the entire season.

"That was another humbling experience, but I wasn't going to let it set me back," Rector said.

When Norvell was hired by Florida State in December, Rector rightly wondered what his role would be on the team. He didn't know if the new staff would give him a chance at quarterback, or if they would ask him to try another position.

As it turned out, Norvell wanted to see what he could do at tight end -- a position Rector had never played until the spring of this year. Six months later, he's been playing it well enough -- and working hard enough -- that he can now call himself a scholarship tight end at Florida State.

"I'm just grateful to be here," Rector said. "It's an amazing university. I'm playing football, (which) I love. I'm with a bunch of teammates that I love. I'm very blessed, and I can't thank Coach Norvell enough."

Norvell, of course, knows all about that walk-on life.

He was one at Central Arkansas before being awarded a scholarship himself. So when he decides to reward one of his walk-ons, it's not done lightly. And it's also not done in front of the entire team.

As excited as he is for that individual player, Norvell is also thinking about the walk-ons who didn't receive a scholarship this time around. He doesn't want them to feel as if they are not valued.

So he does it in his office. As a private moment.

That doesn't mean good news doesn't travel fast, however. Rector made sure everyone who needed to know found out real quick.

First, he saw Sheffield in the stairs heading down to the locker room. The two newest FSU scholarship football players gave each other a hug.

Then he told his "locker neighbors" when he got inside the locker room. They all high-fived and hugged him as well.

Then, of course, the redshirt sophomore had to talk to his parents.

"I grabbed my phone and called my dad, immediately" Rector said. "I just started breaking down again because it just means so much to me, and for my family. It takes a financial burden off my parents' shoulders and mine. I can't wait to pay my parents back, and maybe show my brothers a lesson."

A lesson in perseverance. A lesson in self-belief. A lesson in hard work.

Rector, who is listed at 6--foot-2, 236 pounds, is still learning his new position. But he's done enough to impress the new coaching staff that he has shed the walk-on label in less than a year.

Now, his goal is to make an impact for the Seminoles on Saturdays.

"I got tons of messages from everybody on the team," Rector said. "I'm just truly blessed to be a part of this team."

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Talk about this story with Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council