STARKVILLE, Miss. — Tyler Lockhart has committed to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. With Lockhart now in the 2025 class, State has flipped three players from their original commitment.

When the 4-star linebacker committed to the Tigers on May 6th, it was a surprise given Mississippi State’s connections with him and his school. TJ Lockhart, his older brother, was a member of the 2024 class, and his teammate at Winona High School, Fred “Fat” Clark, also signed with State.

Due to close connections with Lockhart, he seemed to be a lock to be the next but decided to test the waters at Auburn first. The 6-3 200-pound linebacker took in an official visit to Auburn on June 7th and would arrive in Starkville for an official visit just two weeks later.

The 4-star prospect had an impressive junior season as he racked up 100 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and forced three fumbles. The Winona, Miss. native holds numerous SEC offers, including those from LSU, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

It has been a tough stretch for Mississippi State fans and the coaching after a 1-2 start, but signs of a rebuild are starting to show up. Recruiting is critical to building a good program, and defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler has picked up two massive commits in the last couple of days.