Penn State 2027 Class Gone After Franklin Firing 2026 Recruits Holding On

The chain reaction began the moment Penn State announced the firing of head coach James Franklin.

Within minutes, the program’s once-elite 2027 class began to unravel.

Five-star running back Kemon Spell, five-star offensive tackle Layton Von Brandt, and four-star defender Gabriel Jenkins all backed away from their commitments, leaving the Nittany Lions without a single pledge from that cycle.

Spell, the No. 1 running back and No. 8 overall prospect nationally per the 247Sports Composite, was the headliner.

The Pennsylvania native told Statecollege.com he was “not 100% with Penn State anymore” after a six-touchdown game last Friday — foreshadowing what would come next.

Von Brandt, Delaware’s No. 1 player and a top-five tackle nationally, had been committed since November 2024.

Jenkins, one of the top defenders in Pennsylvania, followed suit less than 20 minutes after the firing became official.

The exodus came just a day after four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor reopened his recruitment.

In less than 48 hours, the Nittany Lions 2027 class — which had been ranked No. 2 nationally — was wiped out.

2026 Class Holds On… For Now

While Penn State’s 2027 class is officially empty, its 2026 class hasn’t completely fallen apart — at least not yet.

According to Nittany Sports Now and StateCollege.com, as of Monday night, 14 of 24 original 2026 commitments remain publicly committed to the Nittany Lions.

However, several others have indicated they’ll “listen to other schools” as the program’s leadership transition continues.

Four-star linebacker Terry Wiggins (Coatesville, Pa.) has drawn fresh offers from Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

Offensive tackle Marlen Bright is also reopening communication with other programs.