Penn State DL Commit Flips to Syracuse

Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class continues to dwindle.

In the days following James Franklin’s firing, the Nittany Lions saw swaths of recruits from the 2026 and 2027 classes walk back their pledges, and three-star defensive lineman Alex Haskell has become the latest.

Late on Tuesday night, Haskell made a post on X thanking Penn State and opening his recruitment, citing uncertainty around the program. On Wednesday afternoon, Haskell announced his commitment to Syracuse. Ranked as the No. 17 recruit in Pennsylvania, No. 78 defensive lineman and No. 630 overall player, Haskell is currently in his senior season at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia.

The Nittany Lions’ class is down to just 18 members and ranks No. 22 nationally, per the 247Sports composite rankings. Four-star quarterback Troy Huhn, four-star wide receiver Davion Brown, four-star cornerback Jaziel Hart, four-star edge rusher Elijah Littlejohn and three-star wide receiver Lavar Keys are other recent decommitments, though none have announced new destinations.

The Orange are now up to 28 commitments in the class, though the unit still trails behind Penn State at No. 26 nationally.