FSU commit player analysis: What Luke Altmyer brings to Florida State

On February 3rd, Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell landed his first 2021 commit on offense (previous commits from the offensive side of the ball were under the former staff) from quarterback Luke Altmyer. In his commit article, we provided the following scouting report:

“As you can see, Altmyer possesses many traits you want in a quarterback. One of the first things to like about the QB is his size. At 6’3 and nearly 200 pounds, Altmyer possesses the size you want there.

Next, you want a quarterback who has a quick release. Altmyer shows an ability to make snap throws throughout his highlight tape. This is important in today’s college offenses because of the RPO game.

A third trait to like about Altmyer is his accuracy. Often times Altmyer is delivering a ball into a spot where only his receiver can catch it or that maximizes run after the catch.

The final trait that stands out about Altmyer is creativity. Whether it is manipulating the pocket (which is important behind an FSU offensive line) or using multiple arm slots to throw the ball, Altmyer has a knack at making things happen. These are tools you find with many of today’s top QBs and a definite strength of Altmyer’s game.”

The clips below highlight show these traits the best:

Check out the pace at which Altmyer plays. His ability to ride and decide, get his feet set, and getting the ball out (very accurately) are impressive and something FSU has lacked at the quarterback position in recent years. This pace is important in the RPO game, as windows become tighter and decisions must be made quicker at the college level. In addition to pace, Altmyer’s compact motion gets the ball out quickly as well. When you put it all together, the ball is coming out on time - an important box to check.

The second attribute that stands out on Altmyer’s highlight tape is ball placement. The above clip is a nice example of throwing his wide receiver open and getting the ball in a position for the play to be made. Yards after the catch are the name of the game in college football, and accordingly in Mike Norvell’s offense. That puts a premium on ball placement.

Altmyer displays consistent mechanics, which is promising with a young quarterback. Consistent mechanics are traits such as keeping his throwing elbow up, good hands (not tight with the ball, holding it high), and getting good follow through. All that lends itself to a well thrown and well placed ball. In college football you cannot leave yards on the field; having both accuracy and ball placement puts the young QB at an advantage.

The third trait to like about Altmyer is his play-making ability. He shows toughness and a willingness to stand in the pocket but he is also able to escape and find open receivers down the field. This is what a quarterback at FSU needs to be able to do (fingers crossed for a five star offensive tackle). You see Altmyer keeping his eyes down the field, which is nice, because he is not staring at the rush or missing out on a bigger opportunity. You also have to again recognize his accuracy on both throws - which leads to YAC. Even under duress Altmyer looks fluid with his elbow up and following through. This is not common among all quarterbacks.

With Altmyer’s commitment, Norvell continues to take steps to rebuild the quarterback room for Florida State. Though just a three star currently in recruiting rankings, Altmyer has the the abilities, as shown above, to become a potentially top-200 player. Luke Altmyer joins Branden Jennings as the first two 2021 commits under Mike Norvell.

All highlights were pulled from Altmyer’s Hudl video.