Former Penn State 5-star commit, Kemon Spell, could be heading to the SEC

Western Pennsylvania was once a recruiting battleground between Penn State, Pitt, and West Virginia before James Franklin seized control of the WPIAL talent pipeline. Then, that pipeline was dismantled when Penn State moved on from James Franklin this season. 

Since firing Franklin, Penn State has had 19 de-commitments, and none were more consequential than McKeeseport 2027 five-star running back Kemon Spell. Spell is a top-10 player in the country, and the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania. While Penn State’s loss to Oregon began to fracture his loyalty to the program, his official de-commitment came immediately after Franklin was dismissed. 

Unsurprisingly, Notre Dame, with former Penn State running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider on staff, emerged as the immediate favorite to land Spell’s commitment, but the tide has turned in favor of an SEC powerhouse. On Sunday, Rivals expert Steve Wiltfong submitted a prediction for Georgia to land Spell’s commitment

Georgia predicted to land commitment from Kemon Spell

Georgia began its push to flip Spell before his de-commitment, and it set the Dawgs in a good spot for him once Franklin was fired and the 2027 Penn State class dispersed. With five commits, Georgia’s 2027 recruiting class currently ranks No. 8 in the country, but would shoot toward the top with Spell’s commitment. 

While neither program is on Penn State’s future schedule, Penn State fans would probably prefer Georgia to beat out Notre Dame for Spell’s commitment. Marcus Freeman has made the Fighting Irish a perpetual thorn in Penn State’s side on the recruiting trail, including landing the top player in PA for the 2026 class, Joey O’Brien. 

If Spell does head to Athens, he won’t be the first PA five-star running back to do so. Back in the 2017 class, D’Andre Swift, out of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, committed to Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs over Franklin’s Nittany Lions. 

Already a five-star, Spell originally committed to Penn State early in his sophomore season, which looked like a massive in-state win for Franklin and his staff. With Spell as the centerpiece, Franklin then constructed a four-player 2027 class that included three WPIAL stars: Spell, Pine Richland four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor, and Imani Christian four-star defensive back Gabe Jenkins. 

Losing Spell on its own is a massive blow to the program. Losing supremacy in Western Pennsylvania is an even bigger problem facing the Penn State program. Whoever ultimately gets hired to replace Franklin in Happy Valley will have a lot of work to do rebuilding the roster and recruiting classes, but it might be wise to start that process with in-state talent.