Penn State Gets Commitment From Former Iowa State DT Alijah Carnell

Transfer No. 15 is in from the Cyclones: rising redshirt sophomore DT Alijah Carnell.

Carnell played at high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas before signing with Iowa State in the 2024 recruiting class. After a redshirt, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Carnell broke into the defensive line rotation for the Cyclones in 2025, seeing 123 snaps across the season. He finished the year with 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 0.5 TFLs.

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While the Nittany Lions will have to work on the starting duo at DT, the depth is actually in an okay place with the news today of Ty Blanding returning and Carnell’s commitment. They — along with the return of redshirt sophomores Liam Andrews and De’Andre Cook — give Penn State four (semi-)legitimate depth pieces in a room that is going through a transition.