Oregon State lineman Kelze Howard, the highest-rated defensive player in program history, is out in 2024 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament

Oregon State’s defensive line took a hit Sunday when defensive end Kelze Howard announced he will be out for the 2024 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Howard, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore, was the top-rated defenseman when he signed with OSU in December 2022.

Howard committed to the Beavers in the summer of 2022, choosing Oregon State over schools like Oregon, USC, Washington, Michigan and Nebraska. Howard, one of the top 300 recruits for the class of 2023, was considered one of the biggest recruiting wins of the Jonathan Smith era.

Howard did not play as a freshman because he was sidelined for most of the season with a Lisfranc tear, a foot injury. Howard was slowly working his way back into action in August when he suffered the knee injury.

It was unclear how Howard fit into Oregon State’s plans this season, though he played with the second and third units when he could practice.

–Nick Daschel can be reached at 360-607-4824, [email protected] or @nickdaschel.

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