EXCLUSIVE: Why Spartans Are So High on Elite Prospect
Four-star 2026 Ohio running back Shahn Alston was recently offered by the Michigan State Spartans when he visited for their contest against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Alston is a fringe Top 100 player in the class and the No. 9 running back, per 247Sports. As a blue-chip Midwest target, it is no surprise that the Spartans are after him as a top priority.
Alston told me that the relationship with the green and white began this January, pretty much the moment running backs coach Keith Bhonapha stepped on campus.
"Coach KB came up to the school and visited me, that was the first point of contact," Alston said. "He came up and wanted to see me in person. He expressed how he liked my tape and also the things he wanted me to improve on, and that's what I did over the offseason. I made that a priority, and I was able to showcase it this year.
"He liked my physicality, my physicality was one of the main things he liked. He also expressed how he liked my vision and my contact balance. He wanted to see me improve to get better at getting inside and outside of cuts quicker and a quicker burst. And I feel like, like I said earlier, I worked on that all offseason and I showcased it this year."
There is little doubt that Alston fits the prototype for what Bhonapha wants in a running back. I asked Bhonapha earlier this fall what he considered his prototypical back. It sounded like Alston.
"I think I'm less on 'He has to be this big.' I've been fortunate enough to coach some really good players over the course of my career and some of the best ones have not fit the criteria that everybody wants," Bhonapha said. "I do think this -- talked about the fundamentals already. When it comes to playing with great posture, your ability to transition. I think the next of that is going to be that ability to be a consistent runner. I think that comes in different shapes and sizes. A guy that is always falling forward. We're asking about catching the ball out the backfield. A guy that you can see on film catching the ball out the backfield."
Alston pretty much checks all of those boxes. Posture, running angry, can bounce and break tackles. The relationship has been strong between Alston and the coach, and it could bode well long-term for the Spartans' goals of becoming recruiting king in the Midwest.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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