Mississippi State’s First 2028 Commitment Reopens Recruitment

Hawthorne Hornets wide receiver Alvon Isaac (2) is pressured by Blountstown Tigers Cyion Smith (88) and is Blountstown Tigers EJ Robinson (21) is called for pass interference. The Hawthorne Hornets hosted the Blountstown Tigers at Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, FL on Thursday, November 30, 2023 in the Class 1R State Semis Football. The Hornets defeated the Tigers 49-0 and advance to the State Championship game next Thursday in Tallahassee. Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Mississippi State’s First 2028 Commitment Reopens Recruitment

Originally posted on Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI
By Taylor Hodges | Last updated May 9, 2026 1:22 PM ET

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Mississippi State lost its lone 2028 commitment on Friday, but this isn’t the kind of recruiting alarm that sets off sirens in May.

Four‑star Blountstown safety Cyion Smith told Rivals he’s backing off his pledge to the Bulldogs, ending a seven‑month commitment and reopening his recruitment heading into his junior season.

BREAKING 2028 4-star safety Cyion Smith has decommitted from Mississippi State, @adamgorney and @ChadSimmons_ report.

Read: https://t.co/ZrImcjqGLW pic.twitter.com/cy41Cz2Zua
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 8, 2026

In the 2028 cycle, that’s practically normal. Kids that age change their minds, take visits, gather more information and reset their timelines.

What makes Smith’s move worth noting is the recent travel schedule. He’s been through Auburn, Georgia, Florida State and USF this spring, and he told Rivals that Auburn is standing out right now.

@C3Elite7v7 @ZBlostein247 @Auburn247 @TomLoy247 @247recruiting @247Sports @JedMay_ pic.twitter.com/CoJQrTf6yp
— Cyion Smith 4⭐️DB (@cyionsmith5) March 16, 2026

When a prospect that talented starts making the rounds, the recruiting board tends to shift with him.

Smith is still a long way from signing anything, and Mississippi State has plenty of time to stay involved if the staff wants to.

But for now, the Bulldogs are back to zero in the 2028 class, and one of the top young safeties in the country is officially back on the market.

Where Bulldogs' 2027 Class Stands

Mississippi State’s 2027 signing class is starting to come together. Seven recruits have committed to the Bulldogs, most notably four-star Tunica Rosa Fort running back Christian Alexander. He’s the highest-rated recruit in the class, so far, making his commitment last month. The remainder of the class is all three-star recruits.

That’s not a bad thing, as long as Jeff Lebby and his staff are able to develop them into contributors.

Currently, Mississippi State’s 2027 signing class is ranked No. 38 overall by On3 and No. 33 by 247Sports.

There’s plenty of time for those rankings to go up, too. Official visit season is in full swing and Starkville will play host to a number of highly-rated recruits over the next month.

The weekend of May 29 looms especially large with four four-star recruits coming taking their official visits that weekend. Duncanville (Texas) wide receiver Trenton Yancey, Greenwood (Miss.) linebacker Frederrick Ford, Douglas County (Ga.) safety Kennedy Green and Woodward Academy (Ga.) cornerback Bryce Woods will all be in town at the same time.