Class of 2026 three-star defensive end/defensive tackle Alexander Haskell is a Nittany Lion. He announced his verbal committed to Penn State on Friday, live streaming his ceremony via Instagram.
He chose Penn State over fellow finalists Duke, Michigan and Syracuse.
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Haskell, out of St. Joseph’s Preparatory in Philadelphia, currently ranks as the No. 24 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 39 defensive end in the 2026 cycle.
It means a lot to Haskell to be able to play for his home-state program and play under PSU head coach James Franklin, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Deion Barnes in the future.
“I chose to commit to Penn State because they were the first school that said they believed in me and I have been up there a lot and it’s always felt like home,” Haskell told Rivals.com. “Also, playing in my home state in front of 100,000-plus people will be a very cool experience.”
Haskell has built a strong bond with Barnes, his future position coach, over the past few years. He also has a lot of respect for Franklin’s accomplishments and looks forward to playing for him.
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While Knowles is newer to Penn State’s staff (he was hired in late January), Haskell shares a connection with the defensive coordinator, as Knowles also is a Philadelphia native who attended St. Joe’s Prep.
“I am closest to Coach Barnes because he was the actual coach that told me at a camp my freshman year that he believed in me,” Haskell explained. “Coach Knowles is also a great guy and from St. Joe’s Prep, so we have a lot more similarities than I thought. Coach Franklin is the man and one of the most respected coaches in the sport and he’s produced a lot of talent and I feel like I can add to that.”
As he mentioned, Haskell has been a frequent visitor to Happy Valley. His last trip to Penn State’s campus was approximately three weeks ago and he was able to watch the Nittany Lions work during a spring practice.
“Spring practice was really good and I felt like I can see myself doing that every day,” Haskell said about his most recent visit to Penn State.
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He plans to return to University Park for an official visit with Penn State during the weekend of May 30 through June 1.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Haskell is a versatile defensive lineman with a tireless motor and quick burst off of the snap. He can play on the outside as a defensive end or on the inside as a defensive tackle.
The exact spot he will play at Penn State is undermined as of now, but the Nittany Lions know that Haskell’s versatility along the defensive line will be beneficial.
“They think I can be either one depending on how I do when I get there, and that was always my goal to just be able to be versatile and get on the field as fast as possible,” Haskell said when asked about playing defensive end or defensive tackle.
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Haskell helped lead St. Joe’s Prep to an 11-2 record and a PIAA Class 6A state championship in 2024. It was the third-straight title for the Hawks.
In addition to the schools already mentioned, Haskell received scholarship offers from Boston College, Indiana, Miami (FL.), Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Wisconsin and others.
Despite the many options, Haskell knew Penn State was home.
“Just the talent they’ve produced and the coaches are genuine, and it’s in my home state, so you can’t go wrong,” Haskell said when asked what stands out most about Penn State’s program.
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