Former St. Paul’s All-State offensive lineman Lucas Taylor is leaving Mississippi State.

Taylor announced on social media Monday that he is officially in the NCAA transfer portal.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound freshman was redshirted in 2022, meaning he will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Taylor told AL.com on Monday that the death of head coach Mike Leach in December was a big part of his reasoning for transferring.

“I committed to that culture,” he said. “Being in Starkville is pretty hard with what we went through last year and losing our leader. I feel like I just need a fresh start somewhere else.”

Taylor committed to Mississippi State in June of 2021 after committing to LSU the previous summer. He was a two-time Class 5A first-team All-State selection for St. Paul’s and helped the Saints to an undefeated championship season in 2020.

“I think he has a chance to be an all-conference player in college,” former St. Paul’s coach Steve Mask said of Taylor at the time. “Work ethic is what sets him apart. He’s a lot better athlete than people may realize, but his work ethic is just unbelievable.”