Ohio State makes shortlist for No. 1 running back in 2027 class

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Part of the fallout when Penn State fired James Franklin was a mass exodus of recruits. To be exact, 24 total commitments backed out of their pledge to the Nittany Lions after Franklin was let go. One of those decommitments was the No. 1 running back in the 2027 class, Kemon Spell. Now, Ohio State football has a chance to flip the former Penn State recruit to Scarlet and Gray.

The McKeesport, Pennsylvania, native had been committed to taking his talents to Happy Valley since August of 2024. But the change in leadership opened the door for others to swoop in. Shortly after he pulled back from Penn State, Notre Dame seemed to be the favorite to land his services after a visit to South Bend earlier this fall. However, the prized recruit provided an update, stating that he was slowing things down and would take official visits to his top five schools before making a decision.

The five schools that have made the shortlist include Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, and USC.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as a junior at McKeesport High School, Spell rushed for 1,755 yards and scored 32 total touchdowns this past season. Those are impressive stats, which is why he's ranked as the No. 1 tailback by all the major recruiting services, along with his combination of speed and size.

This one's going to play out well into next year, but it's good to know the Buckeyes have a chance.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes in top-5 for top 2027 running back

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