Missouri State football lands Houston-area linebacker in 2025 recruiting class

Missouri State football has added another Texas-based prospect to its 2025 high school recruiting class.

Braxton Starnes, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound linebacker, announced his commitment to the Bears on Tuesday afternoon.

Starnes is coming off a season in which he was named the Texas District 9-4A-II MVP at Hamshire-Fannett, where he caught 64 passes for 1,051 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. According to a social media post from when he was given his Missouri State offer, he will join the Bears as a linebacker.

The Bears had been in contact with Starnes since April before safeties coach Tramain Thomas offered him last week. Defensively, he made 76 solo tackles, with 51 being solo and six for a loss.

Starnes is the fourth recruit out of Texas to commit to the Bears this month. He’s the second linebacker out of the Houston area the Bears have landed, joining Iowa Colony linebacker-safety hybrid Hayden Caston.

Missouri State football recruiting Class of 2025

• Deuce Bailey, QB, Bowling Green, Kentucky

• Stephen Meitz, OL, Eureka

• Jackson Kohl, TE, Christian Brothers

• Jayden McGee, DE/LB, Cardinal Ritter

• Mitch Weisenborn, OL, Francis Howell (PWO)

• Brycen Dorsey, WR, Christian Brothers (PWO)

• Gionni McBride, DB, North Kansas City

• Joseph Arnold, DB, Blue Valley Northwest (Kansas)

• Navonn Barrett, Lackawanna College, DB

• Darryon Taylor, Mississippi Delta CC, DB

• Ronnel Johnson, Stetson, WR

• Maguire Neal, S, Charlotte

• Drew Viotto, QB, Eastern Michigan

• Edubedike Nnabugwu, OL, Delaware State

• Matthew Greene, OL, UNLV

• Isaiah McMorris, WR, Nebraska

• DJ Wesolak, EDGE, Oregon State

• Brayden Thompson, OL, Kettle Moraine (Wisconsin)

• King Davis, RB, Miami Northwestern (Florida)

• Shomari Lawrence, RB, Florida International

• Dezmond Barnes, DL, Stanhope Elmore (Alabama)

• Anthony Bell Jr., WR, Paulding County (Georgia)

• Hayden Caston, OLB/S, Iowa Colony (Texas)

• Amare Whetsel, WR, Monsignor Pace (Miami)

• Tristian Gardner, WR, Waxahachie (Texas)

• Caleb Olabode, LB, Arlington (Texas)

• Ryan Grayson, DB, Beggs (Oklahoma)

• Braxton Starnes, LB, Hamshire-Fannett (Texas)

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Braxton Starnes: Missouri State football adds Hamshire-Fannett LB