Former 5-star Penn State commit is heading to SEC

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Despite some relatively recent optimism about potentially securing one of the top recruits in the Class of 2027 from leaving the state, Penn State has officially missed out a major commitment. Kemon Spell, a five-star recruit and the nation’s top-ranked running back, and a former commitment in Penn State’s Class of 2027, announced his commitment to the University of Georgia on Monday.

The loss of Spell on the recruiting trail was a likely outcome after Spell backed off his previous commitment to the Nittany Lions in October 2025. Spell, who had been Penn State’s first commitment on the board for the Class of 2027 back in 2024, reopened his recruiting following Penn State’s in-season coaching change with the removal of James Franklin. Spell already had a ton of offers to consider once he decommitted from Penn State, but Georgia quickly emerged as a favorite for his commitment as a result.

Spell was offered a scholarship from Penn State again, from Matt Campbell and his new staff in mid-December, and there was some slight speculation that Penn State could be back in the mix. But as time has gone by, Georgia was tough to overcome on the hunt for the top-rated player from the state of Pennsylvania in 2027.

Penn State’s loss will absolutely be Georgia’s gain. While still in the final stages of officially locking in the full Class of 2026, Penn State will hope to hit the ground running on the Class of 2027 for its first full recruiting cycle under Campbell. It is expected Campbell will attempt to secure some of the state’s top recruits, but perhaps not quite as loudly as former head coach James Franklin orchestrated. Penn State could be a frontrunner for four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Taylor is the state’s No. 4 overall recruit according to the recruiting rankings from 247Sports. But the other top prize in the Commonwealth is five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller, from Coatesville, and South Carolina seems to be an early favorite for his commitment.

As for the Class of 2026, Penn State’s recruiting class has made steady progress since the early signing period under Campbell and his newly assembled staff. Penn State’s Class of 2026 currently has 15 commitments and is ranked No. 63 in the nation, a far cry from where it was after the early signing period. That does not account for the massive transfer class that has reshaped the roster, mostly wiht Iowa State transfers following Campbell to Happy Valley. The traditional signing period is this week, when Penn State will put the finishing touches on this year’s recruiting class before fully preparing for the 2026 season.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State has officially missed one of the top recruits in the state.

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