At the beginning of August, almost a month before his sophomore season at McKeesport High School in Western PA began, Kemon Spell committed to his dream school. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back chose Penn State over offers from Pitt, West Virginia, Michigan State, Michigan, and others.
Spell had visited Penn State twice during the previous season, but he has stated that the annual Lasch Bash event was what ultimately convinced him to choose the Nittany Lions this summer. His visits came after a standout freshman year where he amassed 517 yards on just 37 carries and made several significant plays in the passing game. As a versatile player, Spell also contributed significantly as a defensive back and is expected to see an expanded role in both positions this season.
His impressive performance and the interest he’s garnered have propelled him to the top of recent recruiting rankings. On3 currently places him as the No. 7 overall recruit and the top running back in the 2027 class.
While Penn State has been successful in identifying and securing early commitments from talented players, there are no guarantees they will retain them. For instance, Kiandrea Barker, one of the earliest commits in the 2025 class, recently de-committed from Penn State despite being a four-star running back.
James Franklin’s staff, however, has a geographic advantage with Spell that they did not have with Barker, who was from Arkansas. As a local talent from Western PA, Spell is joining a recent wave of running backs from the region. Last year, Spell and McKeesport lost to Aliquippa and Penn State 2025 commit Tiqwai Hayes in the WPIAL 4A Championship game. In 2024, Penn State also added Quinton Martin Jr. from Belle Vernon, who became the first WPIAL running back to commit to the Nittany Lions since Miles Sanders in 2016.
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