All Penn State

Penn State Hopes to Welcome Back Elite 2027 Prospect Kemon Spell

The former Nittany Lions commit, and the No. 1 running back in the 2027 recruiting class, plans a return visit to Penn State.
Mark Wogenrich|
Fireworks burst over Penn State's Beaver Stadium during the 2025 White Out game between the Nittany Lions and the Oregon Ducks.
Fireworks burst over Penn State's Beaver Stadium during the 2025 White Out game between the Nittany Lions and the Oregon Ducks. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

In this story:

Penn State Nittany Lions

After a two-week transfer portal marathon to rebuild Penn State's roster, Matt Campbell is pivoting toward the 2027 recruiting class. Which means rebuilding relationships with some of Pennsylvania's top players.

Chief among them is Kemon Spell, the McKeesport High running back who formerly was committed to Penn State. Spell on Tuesday announced that he plans to visit Penn State this weekend, a significant step toward potentially welcoming him back into the 2027 recruiting class.

RELATED: Why Penn State is rising in the way-too-early 2026 college football rankings

Spell is a 5-star prospect and the nation's top-ranked running back, according to the 247Sports Composite. The 5-9, 205-pound Spell also is the nation's seventh-ranked player overall and a coveted recruiting target nationally.

Though an injury limited him to nine games last season, Spell still put up eye-popping numbers. He rushed for 1,755 yards and 28 touchdowns in guiding McKeepsport to the WPIAL Class 4A championship game.

Spell scored 32 touchdowns as a junior, including one on a 98-yard kickoff return the first time he touched the ball last season. He finished that game with 295 yards and five touchdowns and scored on his first three touches.

Spell became the first player to commit to Penn State's 2027 recruiting class, announcing his decision in August 2024. But Spell reopened his recruiting process last October after James Franklin was fired.

In early December, Spell told Rivals' Hayes Fawcett that he had compiled a new top-five list of schools, which did not include Penn State. Spell listed Georgia, Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State and Miami.

But Campbell has made inroads with Spell, getting the top-ranked back to return to Penn State for a visit. Campbell, who spent a decade recruiting the Midwest at Iowa State, has said he's looking forward to targeting the talent in Penn State's region, which includes Pittsburgh.

"I think one of the great reasons being here is, you're in the most fertile ground of the excellence of high school football in a six- to eight-hour radius," Campbell said. "Everything will start with building high school football and continuing to do a great job in this state and our surrounding states. Nobody is going to attack more than us."

Another former Penn State commit plans to return for a visit as well. Khalil Taylor, a 4-star receiver from Pine-Richland, told 247Sports' Tyler Calvaruso that he will be back in State College in January.

Taylor, the state's fourth-ranked 2027 recruit according to the 247Sports Composite, also decommited from Penn State in October. He since has received offers from Oregon, Texas A&M and Virginia.

Taylor (6-0, 185) scored 36 touchdowns for Pine-Richland and caught 33 passes for 571 yards. Taylor has developed a strong relationship with Penn State assistant head coach Terry Smith.

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is heavy on former Iowa State recruits, a necessity in Campbell's first season. Campbell has signed 11 players so far to the 2026 class, including early enrollees Peyton Falzone and Jackson Ford. Campbell also signed 3-star quarterback Kase Evans, who previously was committed to Iowa State.

What happens next for Penn State? Stay on top of all the Nittany Lions news by subscribing to the Penn State on SI Daily Digest. The newsletter is your free daily window into Penn State sports.

Published
Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

Home/Football