Recruiting Update: Big-Time Penn State Target to Commit Jan. 11
A big-time Penn State football recruiting target has set his commitment date.
Late Friday morning, Steve Wiltfong of On3Sports reported that Shahn Alston, a four-star RB from Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio, will be committing Sunday, Jan. 11.
Penn State is a finalist for the 5-foot-10, 205-pounder. It’s there along with two other Big Ten programs. Those are USC and Wisconsin.
Alston is the No. 118 overall player in the country from his class per 247Sports, as well as the No. 7 running back in America and No. 5 overall player in Ohio. Penn State already has a running back committed to its ‘26 Class in Messiah Mickens, who is the No. 9 RB in the country per 247Sports composite.
But Penn State would probably like to add another.
WHAT ALSTON HAS SAID ABOUT PENN STATE
Alston talked exclusively with Nittany Sports Now over the summer, and said the relationship started to grow in January 2024.
4-Star RB Shahn Alston Hoping for Penn State Offer on Visit
“I visited them earlier this year and then I went there again for a spring practice. Me and Coach (Ja’Juan) Seider and Coach (Charles) Walker have really been in communication since June 15 and ever since then, they’ve been really consistent with me. Usually, every day we get a chance to talk so I’d say that in a short amount of time, my relationship with Penn State has really grown a lot.”
Although Alston likes Penn State, PSU doesn’t appear to be the favorite.
SO WHO IS THE FAVORITE?
There’s only been one “crystal ball projection” placed by 247Sports but it doesn’t have Alston picking Penn State of the schools recruiting him.
247’s Allen Trieu predicts that Alston will land at USC, with his confidence being a seven out of the maximum 10.
Penn State has eight total players committed to its 2026 Class.
