Penn State 2026 verbal commit Alexander Haskell, a three-star defensive lineman from the Philadelphia market, has flipped to Syracuse football. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Haskell announced his verbal pledge to the Orange via social media, and I confirmed this development with a source on Wednesday afternoon.
First and foremost, a huge congrats from 'Cuse Nation to Alexander! On Tuesday night, he said on X that he was re-opening his recruitment amid Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin being fired on October 12.
#DART @T_Roken @Coach_Sug @mikepieco @FranBrownCuse pic.twitter.com/NJoTwW5A8L
— Alexander Haskell (@Alexhaskell99) October 22, 2025
Less than a day later, and Haskell is committed to Syracuse football and its head coach, ace recruiter Fran Brown. Heck. Yeah.
I want to say thank you to the entire Penn State coaching staff, community, and fanbase. They gave me an opportunity and I am so thankful for everything. With that being said, my family and I have decided to reopen my recruitment because of the uncertainty surrounding the program
— Alexander Haskell (@Alexhaskell99) October 22, 2025
Syracuse football has flipped Penn State 2026 DL commit Alexander Haskell.
Haskell, a standout at the St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, is no stranger to the 'Cuse program. He was offered a scholarship by the Orange in May of 2024.
In February of this year, Haskell disclosed a final four of Syracuse football, Michigan, Penn State and Duke. Three months later, in May, he verbally pledged to the Nittany Lions out of the Big Ten Conference.
Final 4 where’s home? @T_Roken @mikepieco @Coach_Sug @EdOBrienCFB @SeanFitzOn3 pic.twitter.com/eW4W4KjUnq
— Alexander Haskell (@Alexhaskell99) February 6, 2025
His decision to flip to the Orange was due in large part to his strong relationships with Brown and assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, Haskell said in interviews with 247Sports and Rivals.
St. Joseph's Prep, by the way, is the former home of Syracuse football record-setting quarterback Kyle McCord, who is now in the NFL with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Philadelphia region is a key recruiting emphasis for the Orange coaching staff along the Northeast corridor.
According to 247Sports, as a junior in 2024 at St. Joseph's Prep, Haskell tallied 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks as the team went 11-2 and won a state title. In 2025, per MaxPreps, St. Joseph's Prep is 4-4 overall and ranked No. 2 in Pennsylvania.
Within the 2026 class, Haskell is in the top 650 overall, the top 80 at defensive lineman and the top 20 in Pennsylvania, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite and the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking. Rivals has him as the No. 44 defensive lineman in this cycle.
Haskell coming on board gives the Orange at least five defensive linemen/edge rushers in its 2026 class, led by four-star prospect Jarius Rodgers from Florida. The 'Cuse 2026 cycle now has 29 verbal pledges and is ranked No. 25 overall by the 247Sports Composite. It is trending as the highest-ranked class for Syracuse football in the modern era of recruiting rankings via the Internet.
In an evaluation from this past spring, 247Sports national scout Gabe Brooks wrote that Haskell can become a quality starter at the power-four conference level, "with potential beyond college."
Some of Brooks' comments about Haskell also included: "Hyperactive front-line defender who could possibly play the edge or move to a more traditional D-line role depending on personnel/scheme. ... Also cuts the profile of an old-school strong-side defensive end. Relentless motor should translate regardless of long-term positional home."