USC Trojans Predicted To Land 4-Star Recruit Shahn Alston Over Penn State, Wisconsin

The USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley are making a push for big class of 2026 recruits. Four-star running back Shahn Alston is set to make his decision on Jan. 11 and the Trojans are the current front runners.

Shahn Alston visiting USC during a game day. / Shahn Alston/X

The USC Trojans are pushing to sign big names from the recruiting class of 2026. They already have momentum going and USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are making a strong case and trending in the right direction for four-star running back Shahn Alston.

Alston is from Harvey (OH.) and one of the top running backs in the class of 2026. Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Alston is the No. 136 player in the nation, the No. 13 running back, and the No. 5 player in Ohio. Alston will be announcing his commitment on Jan. 11 during the Navy All-American Bowl game.

Shahn Alston visiting USC during a game day. / Shahn Alston/X

The Trojans are the favorites to land Alston, but there are several other schools still in the mix: Auburn, Florida, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Miami is also attempting to make a push for the four-star running back. Despite the number of schools still in the decision process, On3’s national recruiting experts Chad Simmons and Steve Wiltfong both believe Alston will choose the USC Trojans.

“USC made a very strong impression on Alston when he was on campus in November,” Simmons wrote. “The Trojans are picking up some steam in his recruitment. Alston is a four-star out of Painesville (Ohio) Harvey. Penn State and Wisconsin have also been schools high on his list.”

Alston spoke to Simmons about what he is looking for when choosing where he wants to play in 2026.

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“I want to be at a place that appreciates me. Feeling like a priority is important and love from the fans is nice too,” Alston said. “My relationship with not just the position coach is something I am looking at also. We know coaches come and go, so feeling connected to the head coach and the offensive coaches is big for me.”

Alston visited the Trojans in the fall and it went well. He will likely be back for more visits in the future. The positive visit in November led the Trojans to lead the hunt for Alston.

2026 Four-Star running back Shahn Alston / @Shahnalston3 / X / @Shahnalston3 / X

“It was the best I’ve been on yet. I already had high interest in USC, but this trip put them over the top. I’d say USC is a front-runner in my recruitment along with Penn State and Wisconsin,” Alston told On3 after he visited with USC. “The meetings I had were definitely the biggest highlight. I built great connections and learned a lot. The campus tour was also great. I got a good feeling for the campus and could see myself living there. Lastly, the game was great. I loved seeing the running backs get after it.”

Alston visited the USC Trojans during their big win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 28-20. USC running back Woody Marks rushed for 146 yards during the game. 

The USC Trojans are ranked the No. 2 nationally for the recruiting class of 2026 and No. 2 in the Big Ten, per On3. The Trojans have already received some strong commitments from four-star players including defensive lineman Braeden Jones, linebacker Xavier Griffin, and cornerbacks RJ Sermons and Brandon Lockhart. The Trojans will not have to wait long to hear Alston’s decision and find out if he will be joining this big recruiting class.

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