Mississippi State fell to 1-6 on the season this past week, as the Bulldogs lost to Texas A&M 34-24. They have been much more competitive as of late, losing by 10 to both the Aggies and Georgia the past 2 games.

However, as the losses continue to pile up, they are starting to leak into the recruiting world. On Tuesday, 3-star linebacker Austin Howard announced that he would be opening up his recruitment and de-committing from Mississippi State.

” I would like to thank Mississippi State and (their) entire staff for welcoming me into (their) family and all they have done for me,” Howard said. “But after discussing with my family, we have decided it would be in my best interest to de-commit from Mississippi State.”

Howard made this announcement after taking an official visit to Tennessee for the Alabama game on Saturday. According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, he is the No. 69 linebacker in the 2025 class and the No. 23 prospect from the state of Tennessee. He ranks No. 681 in the national player rankings.

This is a troubling sign for coach Jeff Lebby, as Howard is now the third defensive player in the last 8 days to change their mind about the Bulldogs. Defensive lineman Kevovnte Henry and defensive back Steve Miller have also flipped their recruitment.

Mississippi State has 16 commits in the 2025 class, and it is ranked No. 34 in the country. It is led by 4-star quarterback KaMario Taylor, the No. 135 overall recruit in the class.