New Penn State football commit debuts in top 75 of first 2027 rankings

Less than two weeks after Kemon Spell became the first commitment of the 2027 recruiting cycle for Penn State football, national evaluators now indicate that James Franklin and the Nittany Lions may have been wise to get in early on the young talent. The McKeesport running back has claimed his spot as one of the top up-and-coming prospects in the country with the release of 247Sports’ first 2027 class rankings on Wednesday.

Spell debuts in 247Sports’ 2027 recruiting rankings as a four-star prospect, graded out with a rating of 90. Nationally, he ranks as the No. 59 overall recruit and the No. 4 running back in the cycle.

Kemon Spell committed to Penn State football on August 2 after visiting with James Franklin and the Nittany Lions at the end of July for the Lasch Bash. He picked up his offer from Penn State in May.

“I [want to thank] the coaches and the staff for giving me this opportunity,” Spell wrote in his commitment announcement on social media. [I] won’t disappoint.”

The rising WPIAL standout is coming off a solid start to his high school career, rushing 579 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman. He also caught two passing touchdowns, returned an interception for a score, and found the endzone off a missed field goal last season.

Can Penn State football “dominate the state” in 2027?

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Of the four major recruiting services, 247Sports is the first to release evaluations for the 2027 cycle. Within the Keystone State, Kemon Spell is the third-ranked prospect, behind Coatesville Area offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller and Seton-La Salle athlete Khalil Taylor.

Hiller and Taylor both hold Penn State football offers and have made multiple visits to Happy Valley. Spell, Taylor, and Hiller are the only recruits in Pennsylvania currently evaluated by 247Sports for 2027.

Penn State football currently joins Oklahoma (one) and Alabama (two) as the only programs with commitments in the 2027 recruiting cycle.

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