Penn State football is off to a decent start with 2028 recruiting with three commits: quarterback James Armstrong, cornerback Deonte Flemings Jr. and kicker Carter Petri.
While there's a huge focus on the offense, particularly skill players, surrounding Armstrong, head coach Matt Campbell and his staff have gone to work building relationships with plenty of recruits regardless of position. Similarly, the emphasis on landing in-state talent isn't blinding Campbell from other prospects outside of the state and outside of the Northeast.
On Aug. 18, Tyler Calvaruso of Lions247 posted about one linebacker in particular that has sparked interest in the Nittany Lions thanks to those relationships.
"It has been about how much of a priority I am and just the plan they have for me," 2028 linebacker Skylar Alston told Calvaruso. "Definitely one of the best relationships I've built with staffs."
Top247 Raleigh (N.C.) Cardinal Gibbons linebacker Skylar Alston is giving Penn State serious consideration in his recruitment and much of the reason why centers around his budding relationship with the staff in State College.
— Tyler Calvaruso (@tyler_calvaruso) August 18, 2026
More on Alston (VIP/60% OFF): https://t.co/IyOFfiEfpq pic.twitter.com/EPCKL3IFAI
Four-star linebacker Skylar Alston has Penn State in his recruitment mix
Alston is a four-star prospect from Raleigh, N.C. according to Rivals Industry. He's ranked 176th nationally, 16th at linebacker, and seventh from his state. Per his MaxPreps stats, Alston totaled 141 tackles in 2025 and 27 tackles for loss as a sophomore. He also added five passes defended, two sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception.
Despite his comments and interest, though, the work is far from over for Campbell and Co. Alston has visited South Carolina six times, NC State five times, and North Carolina four times (plus one coach visit). The Gamecocks are currently favorited to land him at 17.6 percent and the Wolfpack isn't far behind at 12.9 percent. Other schools in the mix are Rutgers, Auburn, and Georgia — all three of which Alston's visited three times.
Alston visited Happy Valley unofficially on June 13; he was also there in the spring. It's still very early in his recruitment, so getting him on campus, especially considering how many visits he's taken to schools closer to home, was huge for Campbell.
This period of building relationships can keep the Nittany Lions in the mix for a bit, but that can't be the sole selling point Campbell harps on. That's not to say he should suddenly start emphasizing NIL, but thankfully, Penn State has a deep history of producing highly-talented linebackers.
The program is undeniably LBU ("Linebacker U"), and when going up against in-state schools and SEC powerhouses, Campbell has to use that to his advantage. Luckily, it also ties into the culture he's implemented since arriving in Happy Valley, which is honoring team tradition. There's no better way to do that than continue dominating at the linebacker position.
Names like Jack Ham, LaVar Arrington, and Micah Parsons among many others come to mind, but even on the 2026 roster that room is littered with talent. With Tony Rojas, Caleb Bacon, Cael Brezina, Kooper Ebel, and Alex Tatsch, linebacker will be an incredibly deep position for Penn State.
If Campbell can get Alston on campus this fall for a game day visit, the Nittany Lions can show the 2028 prospect exactly what kind of work ethic and production he will have in Happy Valley. The relationships are just the starting point.
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