For the 2027 class, he is listed as the top running back in the nation, and at one point, it appeared as though he would bring his skills to South Bend. To get him, Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame were working very hard.
Steve Wiltfong of the Rivals made a prediction in October that Notre Dame would acquire the dynamic playmaker. However, Georgia quickly emerged as the new favorite. Penn State appeared to be ahead at that point. Everything appeared to be in the air.
But Spell has once again made the decision to end his recruitment, providing Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs with the much-needed news. Yes, Spell has committed to the SEC powerhouse following his informal visit to Athens last week:
5-star Kemon Spell commits to Georgia over Notre Dame and others
On the one hand, the fact that Spell won’t be playing for Freeman at the next level shouldn’t be a huge surprise. If anything, Spell’s decision to leave for SEC land should infuriate Penn State supporters the most.
Because Spell is an in-state target and a product of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Matt Campbell was making every effort to sign him. But everything changed when Smart managed to get him to come to campus for a final visit. Despite their disappointment, Notre Dame supporters likely recognized the signs of this recruiting fight coming.
Things are not looking dire for Freeman and his ’27 recruiting attempts, even though he lost out on Spell, a one-time Penn State commit as well. There are currently seven known commits on board, and according to 247Sports, that class is ranked No. 4.
Freeman undoubtedly has some backup plans for other running backs high on his board, but there isn’t currently a running back with a seat at the table. Therefore, while it may hurt a little to see Spell commit elsewhere, this is not the time to question Freeman’s judgment. Soon enough, ND supporters will probably forget about this as Notre Dame will turn its attention elsewhere.
