Michigan State football: Top commit from 2024 class decommits

It felt like it was only a matter of time with the outside interest, but Michigan State football lost a commitment from Jamari Howard.

This isn’t the news Michigan State football fans wanted to see on a Saturday morning.

Behind the scenes, there had been talk that four-star cornerback commit Jamari Howard might be withdrawing his pledge to Michigan State. That speculation has now become reality.

The Florida native posted the following statement on his Twitter page:

pic.twitter.com/5cYpXekCqw

— Jamari “Track star” Howard (@_JamariHoward_) May 13, 2023

Howard is receiving more buzz and continues to draw offers from other college programs. He ranks as the No. 8 cornerback and No. 75 overall prospect in 247Sports’ rankings for the 2024 class. Howard accepted an invitation to the All-American Bowl and will have an opportunity to showcase his talents against high-level competition.

Of late, Howard has been receiving more connections to Florida which would keep him in his home state. Crystal balls have shifted slightly in favor of the Gators but at this point, it’s premature to guess where Howard lands.

Currently listed as the top-ranked player in Michigan State’s 2024 class, the news of Howard’s decommittment will have fans on edge. It’s likely that Spartans stay in play like we’re currently seeing with fellow 2024 classmate Nick Marsh. Howard had been committed to Michigan State since September. With an official visit still scheduled with Michigan State in early June, the Spartans aren’t out of the running.

The reality of the situation is, with elite players, it’s hard to trust early commitments. As the players continue to play well and showcase their talents to larger audiences, they’ll continue to generate more interest. In the modern era of college sports, interest equals opportunity and value. Players will look to leverage themselves to put themselves in the best position possible.

The questions still remain: How will Mel Tucker and Co. navigate through all of the changes in the sport and on the roster? Michigan State isn’t unique. Most major programs have or will deal with decommits and transfers.

Michigan State is coming off of a down year and undergoing a quarterback change. It’s likely these two factors are playing into the makeup of the Michigan State recruiting class and current roster.