Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
Penn State is on the board for the 2027 class, as running back Kemon Spell announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Friday.
Spell, out of Mckeesport High School in Pennsylvania, becomes just the sixth known prospect in the 2027 class to commit to a program. However, he knew where he wanted to go and did not feel he needed to wait any longer to make his decision.
“The environment and love from the whole staff,” Spell said when asked why he chose to commit to Penn State. “What made me commit this early was the love and coaches and how they treated me.”
Spell is currently listed as a safety by Rivals, but plans to play running back at the college level. His preference is to play on the offensive side of the ball and the Nittany Lions are giving him that opportunity in the future.
I wanna Thanks the coaches And staff For giving me this opportunity Won’t disappoint WE ARE🦁 @coachseider @CoachCBW @coachjfranklin @WPIAL_Insider @wpialsportsnews @RivalsDylanCC @247Sports @McKTigersFB @tyler_calvaruso @PennStateRivals @CoachAhmadPSU @CoachTerryPSU @chrismahon_ pic.twitter.com/VXjyRtiAL2
— Kemon spell (@KemonJones9) August 2, 2024
Spell has been a frequent visitor to Happy Valley, and was most recently on Penn State’s campus for the program’s “Lasch Bash” event this past Saturday.
As he mentioned, Spell has built tight bonds with many of the coaches on the Penn State staff, including head coach James Franklin, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnick, assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, associate head coach/defensive recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and others.
“Our relationship is really good,” Spell said about the Penn State staff. “That’s what their main goal is, getting to know me and build a strong relationship. I’m close with all of the coaches.”
While the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Spell is a strong defensive back, he feels his all-around game as a running back is what makes him stand out the most on the field.
“My game as a running back is great — I can do it all,” he explained.
Spell had additional scholarship offers from Akron, Florida State, Marshall, Michigan, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, UNLV, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
As a freshman in 2023, Spell helped lead Mckeesport to an 11-2 overall record and a deep playoff run.
The 2027 class has not been rated yet, but Spell is certainly a prospect to keep an eye on.