'We can take this offense to another level' ... Florida State TE transfer Jaheim Bell ready to get started

Jaheim Bell says Mike Norvell was one of the first college coaches to hit him up when he entered the transfer portal early last month.

Of course, Bell can’t really say for sure who was first or second. Or fifth or 15th.

Because he had so many phone calls and text messages within minutes of submitting his transfer paperwork at South Carolina, Bell actually turned off his phone to get some peace and quiet.

“It was crazy,” Bell said. “Coach Norvell was asking me why I wasn’t answering the phone for him. And I told him I didn’t know that was his phone number (laughing). Once I finally got on the phone with him, the conversation went well.”

Bell, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound athlete who spoke to the Florida State media for the first time Thursday, was in high demand for good reason.

As a junior last season with the Gamecocks, he proved to be an extremely versatile weapon on offense. Though listed as a tight end on the roster, Bell lined up at running back and carried the ball 73 times for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 235 yards and two scores.

Throughout his time in Columbia, S.C., Bell was frequently compared to former South Carolina standout Deebo Samuel, who now stars for the San Francisco 49ers. But while he appreciates those comments and considers Samuel to be like a “brother” because they have talked so many times and hung out together, Bell said he has never bought into the idea of becoming Deebo 2.0.

“A lot of people try to compare me to him, but I feel like I’m my own man,” Bell said. “I feel I’m one of one.”

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When it came to picking a new school, Bell said Florida State quickly emerged as one of his three finalists. He liked FSU while growing up in north Florida and south Georgia, he loved what he was seeing from the Seminoles’ offense, and he really enjoyed his first conversations with Norvell.

“Not just coach-speak,” Bell said. “It was like real talk.”

Bell should have a strong comfort level with the Seminoles. Former South Carolina defensive end Gilber Edmond also transferred to Florida State this month, and the Seminoles had a pair of former Gamecocks on the team in 2022 — safety Jammie Robinson and offensive lineman Jazston Turnetine.

Bell also played high school football in Valdosta, Ga., with Seminoles quarterback Tate Rodemaker.

“I wouldn’t say he tried to lead me here,” the tight end said of his conversations with Rodemaker during the transfer process. “But he definitely reached out. … And once I made my decision, he was very excited about it. We played together in high school. So having another chance to play with each other again is going to be very fun.”

Rodemaker likely won’t be the main quarterback throwing Bell passes this fall, however. That will be rising senior Jordan Travis, who enjoyed a breakout 2022 season and is considered an early contender for the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

The idea of playing with Travis, running back Trey Benson, wide receiver Johnny Wilson and other talented playmakers was one of the many reasons Bell was attracted to Florida State.

“That was a very big piece to me,” the junior tight end said of Travis’ return. “Just having a quarterback that’s experienced. Because I know how that can be, playing with a quarterback that’s not experienced. With Jordan returning, that kind of made me want to come here even more.

“Just being in this offense. Seeing it being explosive — I caught a few games this season — I wanted to be a part of that.”

Another huge draw is getting to suit up closer to his hometown of Lake City.

“It’s going to be crazy this year,” Bell said. “Back at South Carolina, I probably had at least 30 family members at a game. So … I don’t know what I’m gonna do with tickets. I hope my teammates can help me out. It’s gonna be a whole section just of my family.”

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Now that he is enrolled at Florida State, Bell said the next steps will be earning the trust and respect of his new teammates and learning the Seminoles’ playbook.

Having shown the intelligence to play multiple positions — Bell also earned multiple SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades during his time at South Carolina — he doesn’t expect there to be a steep learning curve.

The tight end said he already has been studying offensive concepts with members of the Florida State staff. And now he is eager to show what he can do this spring and fall.

Bell believes he can be a “key piece” in the Seminoles’ 2023 offense.

“I feel like I can be very explosive and help this team win,” he said. “I’m quick. I’m a mismatch for safeties, corners, linebackers. So I just feel like being paired up with Jordan and some of the other guys around me, I feel like we can take this offense to another level. … I’m ready to get that started.”

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.