Penn State commit garnering praise from top scout for ‘borderline dominant’ camp performance

It’s been nearly one year since Penn State football earned the commitment of top 2027 running back Kemon Spell. As he now prepares for his junior year of high school, the McKeesport (PA) star continues to prove why he’s one of the most coveted prospects in the country.

Coming off the second day of the Overtime 7-on-7 Playoffs on Saturday, Spell garnered high praise from On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power as one of the tournament’s top performers.

“In a setting that rarely allows running backs to shine, Kemon Spell looked the part of the No. 1 back in the 2027 cycle,” Power wrote. “The Penn State pledge was borderline dominant on Saturday. Spell immediately flashed early on in his team’s first game, showing natural hands and a great burst with the ball in his hands. We saw him come down with two touchdown grabs on the day. Spell shook a defender and came down with a slant for a score, and later got behind the defense for a long touchdown.

“The showing in this pass-only setting is a big positive for Spell, who is a dominant tackle-breaker on Friday nights. It’s easy to see why, given his palpable burst and powerful build.”

Top performers from Day 2 of the OT7 Championship🔥

More from @CharlesPower: https://t.co/WCwKYIbtiI pic.twitter.com/sCEIm7yOHz

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 29, 2025

In two years, Spell will look to continue the tradition of dominant in-state running backs who have become stars in Happy Valley. Currently, he is ranked as the nation’s top running back and the No. 8 overall recruit per On3. 

Spell is fresh off a return visit to State College last weekend for Penn State’s annual Lasch Bash. The trip came two weeks after the Nittany Lions pledge made headlines with surprising comments about his unofficial visit to UCLA earlier in June. Despite the love he showed toward the Bruins, the prospective five-star recruit is by all accounts locked in on the Blue and White. 

Penn State football holds an early lead on the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in the 2027 cycle. 

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