Tag: Alvin Henderson

Penn State lands huge commitment from Alvin Henderson, who ran for 61 touchdowns last year

Alvin Henderson commits to Penn State football.

It was a huge Thursday for Penn State as four-star running back Alvin Henderson gave his commitment to the Big Ten program. And all Henderson seems to do is run for touchdowns.

Penn State fought off several big names to land Henderson, a player ranked by Rivals as the third-best running back in the nation and the No. 36 overall recruit. He is a member of the 2025 recruiting class.

ESPN ranks him as the No. 55 player in the nation and the sixth-best player in Alabama this recruiting cycle.

Last year, Henderson ran for 3,253 yards and a staggering 61 touchdowns for Elba High School (Elba, Alabama) in 14 games played.

He picked Penn State from an offer list that included Auburn, Florida State, Miami and Oregon among others.

The Nittany Lions now have 12 commits in the class of 2025. Henderson is one of four recruits ranked as a four-star by 247Sports.

Four-star RB Alvin Henderson chooses Penn State over Auburn

A late push by Penn State erased Auburn’s chances of landing the talented in-state running back on Thursday.

Penn State made a late push in [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag]’s recruitment in an effort to steal him away from the state of Alabama, and it worked.

Henderson, a four-star running back from Elba High School in Elba, Alabama, chose Penn State on Thursday over Auburn, Florida State, Oregon, and Miami. Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the newly hired offensive coordinator [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] worked to maintain their relationship with Henderson following the departure of former running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag]. The effort worked for a while but was not enough to close the deal.

Henderson was expected to commit on April 4, but the announcement date was altered by a week thanks to a late visit to State College. In a recent interview with Tom Loy of 247Sports, Henderson cited that Penn State has recruited him the hardest despite him not mentioning their involvement in his recruitment until the final stages. In their recruiting pitch, Penn State tells Henderson he can be the next great star.

The thing about Penn State is that they consider me as a dude that can come in and be the next Nick Singleton or Kaytron Allen. They are going to leave this year and they consider me the dude that can replace them. Their development at the running back position over the past few years, it’s real. They believe in what coach (James) Franklin has done. They want me to jump on the train and carry the torch that the running backs have started over the years.

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class is still strong despite Henderson’s decision to commit to Penn State. The Tigers rank No. 8 in 247Sports’ rankings thanks to the commitments of [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Devin Williams[/autotag]. Auburn’s class added a talented offensive lineman earlier this week in [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], and are in prime position to land four-star linebacker [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag] and three-star cornerback [autotag]Dante Core[/autotag].

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Four-star RB Alvin Henderson sets commitment date

Will Auburn land one of Alabama’s top recruits from the 2025 class?

As four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] inches closer to his commitment date, Auburn is beginning to create separation between themselves and Florida State.

Henderson visited the Plains earlier this week, where he revealed his commitment date to Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover. The Elba native will choose between Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Oregon, and Penn State on April 5 during a ceremony at his high school.

In an interview with Clemente, Henderson says that relationships will be an important factor with his decision. He also mentions his level of comfort within Auburn.

“If it was Auburn it’d just be the relationship and obviously you know, I feel at home here,” Henderson said. “Even the resources off the field if I was to come here and if I was successful or not successful, once I graduated I’d always be able to come back here and feel welcome.”

What are Auburn’s chances of landing Henderson? The Tigers currently hold two crystal ball predictions from 247Sports, including one from Zach Blostein of Noles247. Auburn also has an 88.4% chance to earn Henderson’s commitment according to On3. Alabama is next in line with a 3.7% forecast, followed by Florida State and Miami.

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Auburn in battle with ACC program for four-star RB Alvin Henderson

Henderson has been high on Auburn’s radar for some time. Can Hugh Freeze and staff keep this talented running back in-state?

Four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] has been high on Auburn’s radar for quite some time. Now, they will have to battle an ACC program to keep him in state.

Henderson recently talked with Chad Simmons of On3 about his recruitment ahead of spring practices, and he says that Auburn and Florida State are the two schools that are recruiting him the hardest.

Henderson developed a strong relationship with former running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], has his thoughts on Auburn changed since Williams’ departure? He tells Simmons that he has worked to build a relationship with new offensive coordinator/running backs coach Derrick Nix. From the day Nix was hired, he has emphasized just how important Henderson is to the 2025 recruiting haul.

“Coach Nix was like, ‘You’re Coach Freeze’s No. 1 priority and he told me day one that we have to get you,’” Henderson said. “Ever since coach Nix came to Auburn, our relationship has been tight. I went up there and took a visit and he showed me how he wants to use me.”

However, stability is important to Henderson. Henderson wants to play for a program that will have consistency within its staff during his time on campus.

“One of the main things that is going to separate any school in my recruitment is somewhere where the coaching staff and my position coach will be stable,” Henderson said. “I am also looking for somewhere where I’ll be able to engage with a head coach who pays close attention to the running back position and be successful and win on and off the field. Also, I want to go somewhere where me and my mom feel like home.”

Florida State holds the edge over Auburn currently, as Henderson has called the Seminoles a “no. 1 school for him.” He also plans to announce his commitment this summer.

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2025 RB Alvin Henderson: ‘Auburn is doing a good job recruiting me’

Alvin Henderson is one of Auburn’s top targets in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

[autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] is one of the top running backs in the 2025 recruiting cycle and the Elba, Alabama product is a major target for Auburn and [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag].

Henderson has visited Auburn numerous times this season and was back on the Plains for the Iron Bowl. He spoke with On3’s Chad Simmons after the visit and had great things to say about how [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], Williams and the rest of the staff are recruiting him.

“Since Coach Freeze got there, I have built great relationships,” Henderson said. “They push for me, they have shown me I am the guy they want and they always stay in touch with me. Even after the Alabama game, I heard from Coach Freeze. He is putting a lot of time in and that means a lot.

“The way he and the staff recruits me has made a big impact on me. Coach Freeze wants me in his system and I like how he talks to me about life and football.”

Henderson is the No. 128 overall player and No. 9 running back in the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 11 player from Alabama in the 2025 cycle.

While Auburn is pushing hard, they are far from the only school recruiting Henderson, and he is keeping his “options open.”

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Auburn is surging for elite 2025 RB Alvin Henderson

Alvin Henderson is a major Auburn target and the Tigers are in a good place to land the talented running back.

Whenever Auburn running back coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag] identifies a running back that he wants the chances are pretty good that Auburn will land that player.

There’s also a great chance that they will produce when they make it to the Plains. It worked with [autotag]Jaquez Hunter[/autotag] and it’s early but [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] both look like future studs for Auburn.

The player that Williams and Auburn have singled out in the 2025 recruiting cycle is [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] and they are now surging for him.

Henderson was back on Auburn’s campus for the season opener against UMass, the fourth time he has visited since they hired [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

This visit was enough for On3’s Chad Simmons to log a prediction for Henderson to commit to Auburn. That prediction gives them an 88.2% chance of landing him, according to On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

Henderson is the No. 88 overall player and No. 8 running back in the On3 industry ranking. The Elba product is also the No. 9 player from Alabama.

He is coming off of a dominant sophomore season in which he rushed for 2,636 yards and 47 touchdowns in 12 games.

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Auburn’s persistance is key for 2025 QB Deuce Knight

Hugh Freeze was the first coach to contact the four-star QB on August 1, making a hugh impression.

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn coaching staff have locked in their quarterback for the 2024 cycle, four-star [autotag]Walker White[/autotag]. Now, they are working towards landing one of the top options at the position from the 2025  class.

Auburn has been on an upward trend for four-star quarterback Deuce Knight for quite some time. However, it may have been a recent act by Freeze that truly sparked his interest in Auburn. Knight, a 2025 recruit from Nashville, Tennessee, began fielding phone calls from college coaches on Aug. 1, the first day that coaches could begin contacting recruits in his class.

The first call of the day came from none other than Auburn’s head coach.

“When that date happened and Coach Freeze hit me up at 5 in the morning — he was actually the first head coach to call me — a couple of head coaches had texted me and stuff. That meant a lot to me,” Knight tells 247Sports. “And them just keeping in contact every day, I’d say that does a lot for me because I’m big on the communication part.”

The recruiting process is still early for Knight, but he says that he has built a bond with 2025 running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag]. Auburn has kept Henderson high on their radar, and his decision could play a role in where Knight ends up.

“That’s my guy,” Knight said of Henderson. “We told each other we were going to talk every day until we both make a decision. Me and Alvin, we’re big on going to college together and being in the same backfield together. Just changing a program together. That’s one thing we’re big on. That’s my dog, we talk every day. It’d just be different if we team up.”

Knight is a 6-4, 195-pound quarterback from Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, and was a high school teammate of Auburn freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag]. Notre Dame is the current favorite to land Knight according to 247Sports, and Ole Miss is the forecasted favorite according to On3.

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Two Auburn commits are prime candidates to win Alabama’s Mr. Football in 2023

Auburn has locked in several of Alabama’s top recruits for the 2024 cycle, two of them are up for the state’s top award.

Auburn has found early success by locking in several of the state of Alabama’s top recruits for the 2024 cycle.

In the latest update from 247Sports, three of the state’s top 10 recruits, and nine of the top 25, are committed to Auburn. Two of those prized commits are considered to be candidates for the state of Alabama’s top award heading into the 2023 season.

Ben Thomas of AL.com recently revealed his top 20 candidates to win Mr. Football for the state of Alabama this season, and two of Auburn’s 2024 commits are in consideration for the postseason award.

The first Auburn commit mentioned is four-star running back [autotag]J’Marion Burnette[/autotag]. Burnette is the state’s No. 14 prospect and is poised to have another great season for Andalusia High School.

As a junior, he rushed for 1,473 yards and 17 TDs on 187 carries in just 11 games. He missed Andalusia’s state semifinal and state championship game after suffering a concussion in the quarterfinals. A healthy Burnette should pile up huge rushing statistics again.

Next up is the Tigers’ top commit for the cycle, five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag]. Thompson flipped his commitment from Alabama to Auburn during Big Cat Weekend in July and looks to finish his high school career in a big way as a two-way player for Clay-Chalkville.

A first-team Class 7A All-State receiver as a junior a year ago, Thompson caught 87 passes for 1,059 yards and 9 TDs for the Region 1 champions. He also had a pair of interceptions on defense and could play more on that side of the ball as a senior.

Although not committed, Auburn target [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] is also in the mix to win the award. Henderson is a four-star running back for the 2025 class and is the No. 10 player at his position. Last season at Elba, he rushed for over 200 yards per game.

Historically, ten winners of Alabama’s Mr. Football award have signed with Auburn. [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] was the last Auburn signee to with the award, doing so in 2019. [autotag]Kerryon Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Demarco McNeil[/autotag], and [autotag]Brandon Cox[/autotag] are other notable Auburn players to win the award.

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Penn State in Top 10 of elite 2025 running back

Penn State makes the top 10 for this Class of 2025 running back target.

Very sneakily, Penn State is moving into a potential “Running Back U” nickname to go along with their more known “Linebacker U” mantra.

With [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] and [autotag]Miles Sanders[/autotag] in the NFL and current running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen making names for themselves, top running backs across the country are starting to take notice.

With four-star [autotag]Kiandrea Baker[/autotag] already committed to the Nittany Lions in the class of 2025, another elite running back has Penn State on his radar.

[autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] is a consensus four-star prospect from the state of Alabama. The 5’9″ 185 pound running back has amassed over 70 offers throughout his recruitment process that started when he was a freshman in high school.

The elite prospect recently announced his top 10 schools earlier in the week, with Penn State making the cut.

Other schools that made his list include Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, USC, Oregon, Florida State, Miami and Arkansas.

Henderson is rated as the number nine running back in the class of 2025 and the 89th overall player according to On3’s industry rankings.

Right now, it looks like the southern schools are leading the way in his recruitment.

He told On3, “My relationships are still growing with these schools. My connections with Auburn, Georgia, Florida State and Auburn are different because I have been around those programs more, but I still have my options open.”

Henderson is looking for relationships as he continues to go through the process.

“I am not going to rush things. Now that I have my top 10, I will see what coaches want to build relationships, who wants to get me on campus and who wants to help,” he said.

Penn State is one of three schools on Henderson’s list that he has not visited. He’s planning on going to State College early this season and see the campus.

Expect it to be an intense recruitment cycle  heading into the fall because the elite running back would like to know his school before his senior year of high school.

“As I go through the season, I will take it slow, but by this time next year, I will be committed,” he told On3.

We’ll see if Penn State can make up some ground when Henderson takes his visit to Happy Valley.

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4-star RB Alvin Henderson names top schools

Four-star 2025 running back recruit Alvin Henderson has named his top schools

Four-star running back recruit Alvin Henderson has named his top 10 schools ahead of the 2023 high school football season. Henderson is considered one of the top running backs in the class of 2025.

Henderson plays high school football for Elba High School in Elba, Alabama. The four-star is considered the No. 74 recruit in the class of 2025. Henderson is the No. 6 recruit at his position and the No. 9 recruit in Alabama, per 247Sports.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back ranks Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas, Miami, Florida State, Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and Penn State as his top 10 schools.

Alvin Henderson is currently favored to commit to the Auburn Tigers, but it is still very early in his recruitment. This summer, Henderson checked out the campuses at Oregon, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida State.

Georgia football is looking strong to start the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Bulldogs and running backs coach Dell McGee have already landed a verbal commitment from running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman.

The Elba standout announced his top schools via social media:

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