The chain reaction has begun.
Just minutes after Penn State officially announced the firing of head football coach James Franklin, five-star running back Kemon Spell, five-star offensive tackle Layton Von Brandt and four-star defender Gabriel Jenkins and decommitted from the Nittany Lions’ 2027 recruiting class.
Spell ranks as the consensus No. 1 running back in the cycle and is the No. 1 Pennsylvania native and No. 8 overall recruit per the 247Sports composite rankings. Spell told reporters he was “not 100% with Penn State any more” after a six-touchdown performance on Friday night.
Jenkins ranks as the No. 11 recruit in Pennsylvania and No. 26 safety in the class per 247Sports, though Rivals lists him as a linebacker. He attends Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, the same school current Penn State defensive end Dayshaun Burnett graduated from and four-star class of 2026 athlete David Davis attends.
Von Brandt ranks as the No. 1 Delaware prospect, No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 36 overall recruit for the 2027 class and had been committed since November 2024.
With four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor decommitting on Friday, the Nittany Lions’ 2027 class, which ranked No. 2 nationally just days ago, has no commitments.
