Wisconsin football top-ranked class of 2026 running back Shahn Alston announced his plans to visit Madison this weekend on X.
The recruiting weekend has morphed into a notable one for Wisconsin in both football and basketball. Four-star hoops prospects Davion Hannah and Amari Allen will also trek to Madison for UW’s bout against the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday.
While all eyes will be directed toward what transpires on the gridiron, Luke Fickell’s staff is navigating future recruiting waters behind the scenes.
Arguably the most coveted offensive target of Wisconsin’s next recruiting class, Alston received his offer from UW on March 22, 2024. 247Sports currently ranks the junior back as the No. 112 overall recruit, No. 9 running back and No. 5 recruit from the state of Ohio for the class of 2026.
On3, another high-profile recruiting hub, considers Alston the No. 84 player in the country for the class of 2026 and No. 2 overall recruit out of Ohio. He’s labeled as a four-star on 247Sports, On3 and ESPN.
Despite his age, Alston owns quite the list of collegiate offers thus far. Of his 21 extended opportunities, the most notable programs include Baylor, Missouri, Penn State, USC, Purdue, Louisville, Auburn and Wisconsin.
At Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio, Alston has played on both sides of the ball. As a sophomore, he ran for 1,042 yards and 15 TDs on 8.1 yards per carry on top of his four catches for 82 receiving yards and one receiving TD.
As a freshman in 2022, he rushed for 675 yards and 15 TDs in the backfield and registered 39 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles on defense.
As of Sept. 10, there is no clear-cut recruiting lock for where Alston will land. If Wisconsin can impress this weekend, the program will boost its chances of landing one of the most talented players in the class.