A major recruiting target for Penn State has committed to another Big Ten school.
On Saturday afternoon, Shahn Alston, a Class of 2026 running back, announced his commitment to USC, choosing the Trojans over Penn State and Wisconsin. Alston had been on Penn State’s radar for some time.
This was a player Penn State had hoped to land. Alston ranks as the No. 118 overall player in the country for his class according to 247Sports, the No. 7 running back in the nation, and the No. 5 overall player in Ohio. Penn State has already secured a commitment from running back Messiah Mickens for the 2026 class, who is ranked the No. 9 RB in the country by 247Sports composite.
Penn State had shown significant interest in Alston for a while. He spoke exclusively with Nittany Sports Now during the summer, noting that his relationship with the school began to grow in January 2024.
“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,” Alston said.
Although Alston had an affinity for Penn State, the Trojans were always seen as the frontrunner, and USC ultimately secured his commitment.
A 247Sports “crystal ball” projection had predicted Alston would commit to USC, with a confidence rating of seven out of ten.
Penn State’s 2026 class currently includes eight commitments, including Mickens.
