Penn State Football Recruiting: Two Future Nittany Lions Make Key Announcements

A pair of running backs affirm their commitments to Penn State, which takes the early lead in the 2027 recruiting rankings.

Penn State football coach James Franklin watches during the team's recent Pro Day at Holuba Hall in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the Penn State football program, practice is merely one component of spring practice. This also is recruiting season, as coach James Franklin and his staff entertain prospects, receive commitments and work to retain their roster when the transfer portal reopens for football April 16.

So far, Penn State has made headway in recruiting, receiving a key commitment for the 2027 class and getting re-commitments from two future running backs.

As for the transfer portal? That could create 10 nerve-wracking days for Franklin as spring practice winds down and the team hosts the Blue-White Game on April 26 at Beaver Stadium. That said, here's a Penn State recruiting update.

Two running backs say yes again to Penn State

Running back Messiah Mickens committed to Penn State's 2026 recruiting class in August 2023. Fellow running back Kemon Spell committed to Penn State's 2027 class in August 2024. Both recently affirmed those commitments during unofficial visits to Penn State to watch spring practice.

Both Mickens and Spell told Happy Valley United, Penn State's official NIL collective, that they have shut down the recruiting process. Watch Mickens' interview here and Spell's interview here. Though they can't sign contracts for a while (Mickens in December, Spell after that), both players made statements with their statements.

Mickens is proving to be a sought-after running back in the 2026 recruiting cycle. The 4-star prospect from Harrisburg (Pa.) High had scheduled an official visit to Notre Dame but told HVU that he will not take other visits. Mickens is a top-200 player nationally and likely will rise in the rankings this season.

Spell begins his junior season at McKeesport (Pa.) High as the nation's 26th-ranked player, according to the 247Sports Composite, and the No. 2 back of the 2027 class. Franklin loves to promote in-state talent, particularly running backs, so the decisions from Mickens and Spell brightened the first weekend of spring practice.

Pennsylvania prospect lifts Penn State's 2027 class to No. 1

Yes, it's a three-player class and, more yes, the 2027 recruiting cycle is on training wheels. But Penn State is off to a good start, receiving commitments from three 4-star prospects, most recently from a top-flight Pennsylvania wide receiver.

Khalil Taylor, a 5-11, 180-pound athlete from Pittsburgh's Seton La Salle High, announced his commitment to Penn State on March 29. Taylor is a 4-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite, and the 46th-ranked player nationally. He is the No. 9 athlete in 247Sports' 2027 class and the No. 2 overall player in Pennsylvania.

As a sophomore at Seton La Salle last season, Taylor made 51 receptions for 932 yards. He also scored 22 touchdowns for Seton La Salle, which reached the WPIAL Class 2A championship game.

Taylor joined two other 4-star prospects in the class: Spell and Delaware offensive lineman Layton Von Brandt. The 6-6, 255-pound Von Brandt is an intriguing prospect, ranked as the nation's No. 4 tackle in the 2027 recruiting cycle and with a frame to support plenty more weight.

Where does Penn State stand in the portal?

Penn State doesn't make or break its rosters in the transfer portal. Instead, Franklin focuses on roster retention and targeted acquisitions. The two key inbound players for Penn State this year are receivers Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy). Both have assimilated well so far, a huge boost for a Penn State receiving corps that needs one.

"I know they've been a hit with their teammates in terms of kind of just how they've been in the locker room," Franklin said before spring drills began. "... But we'll have a better idea [about them on the field] after spring ball."

Regarding outbound players, a key position to watch is running back. Penn State has six scholarship running backs and eight total backs on the roster. Those are big numbers, not only from a scholarship perspective but also considering that the pending House vs. NCAA settlement will limit college football rosters to 105 players.

With Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen returning for their fourth seasons, a crowded backfield room could thin. New Penn State running backs coach Stan Drayton will be part of those discussions, though Franklin ultimately might have some tough decisions to make, or accept from his players, regarding the room.

Penn State's Blue-White Game is scheduled for April 26 at Beaver Stadium.