5-star Penn State commit dominates in high school season-opener -- and he’s only a junior

Heading into his sophomore season last summer, Kemon Spell already knew where he wanted to play his college football. The McKeeseport running back committed to Penn State on August 2, 2024, one of the first commits of the 2027 recruiting class. 

Now, a year later Spell is still locked in with the Nittany Lions as a composite five-star recruit and a top 10 player in the class. In his junior season opener, he showed exactly why, putting on a ridiculous display against Delaware Valley. 

Spell began the game with a 98-yard kickoff return. Then, on his second touch of the game, he added a second score on a 56-yard touchdown run. His third touch, and second carry, ended the same way, with Spell reaching paydirt from 80 yards out. He began the game with two carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and ended it with five touchdowns in a dominant 51-24 win. 

Spell’s final line was 13 carries for 293 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to go along with his 98-yard kick return TD. The film was just as absurd as that stat line sounds. 

Kemon Spell looks like a future Penn State star, if James Franklin can hold on

Spell’s early commitment implies certainty and loyalty, but Penn State will have to hold on tight to its top 2027 commit. Spell is now one of four commits in the Nittany Lions’ 2027 class and will easily be the most highly sought-after. 

Along with an impending trip back to Happy Valley, the nation’s top running back has also scheduled official visits to Notre Dame, Florida State, and Alabama this fall. While the Seminoles and Crimson Tide certainly pose a threat to Franklin and his staff, Notre Dame’s interest is the most frightening. 

Franklin has continually upgraded his coaching staff in Happy Valley, including the addition of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles this offseason, but the Fighting Irish, after dispatching the Nittany Lions from the College Football Playoff, dealt Penn State another blow as Marcus Freeman hired running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider away. Seider was a major recruiter for the Nittany Lions, who assembled and stewarded the backfield tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen to stardom, and he initiated the recruitment of Spell. 

Penn State must continue to push for Spell, especially with Seider lurking in South Bend, because if he becomes a Nittany Lion, he’ll be the next superstar in the backfield. Spell has a unique combination of quickness, power, and contact balance, making him nearly impossible to bring down at the high school level.