Penn State went deep into the south and came back with a key recruiting win on Thursday afternoon as running back Alvin Henderson verbally committed to the Nittany Lions. Henderson is rated the 94th-best prospect for the 2025 class by the 247 Network’s Composite rankings and eighth-best running back talent by those same metrics.
A native of Elba, Alabama, who hits the scales at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Henderson is rated the 10th-best prospect in his home state.
Henderson posted remarkable numbers this past season as junior. During his most recent season for Elba High School, Henderson rushed 225 times for 3,523 yards and 61 touchdowns (no, that is not a typo), per MaxPreps.
Sought after by a litany of programs at the next level, Henderson’s recruitment was largely a race among Penn State, Auburn, Oregon, Miami and Florida State. He took a visit to Penn State this month, with another visit scheduled later this summer, according to multiple recruiting outlets.
Overall, Penn State’s recruiting class is ranked the seventh-best in the nation, according to the 247 Network, with the cycle still in its earliest stages. Four of those seven verbal commitments are of the four-star variety, with Henderson joining fellow running back Klandrea Barker and linebackers DJ McClary and Dayshaun Burnett among the highest rated prospects in the Nittany Lions’ haul so far.
Penn State will once again host plenty of prospects this upcoming weekend as part of its annual Blue White Weekend festivities and spring scrimmage.