Penn State Sports Magazine
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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 4 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Ford is intrigued by the possibility of playing for defensive line coach Deion Barnes after working out for the Nittany Lion staff. "I was a big fan of his coaching style," Ford said. "I felt it was easy to under- stand and implement what he was tell- ing me right away. Me and my family were big fans of him and enjoyed the time we got to talk with him. Overall, he's a great guy." Ford is up to nine scholarship offers so far. Michigan offered him shortly af- ter Penn State, while Maryland, Pitt, Rutgers and West Virginia have also ex- tended early offers. He's currently un- ranked. There were also a few 2026 prospects from beyond Pennsylvania's borders who grabbed the staff's attention. North Carolina native Keshawn Stan- cil had a very impressive workout that earned him an offer from the Nittany Lions. The 6-3, 260-pound defensive tackle prospect said he only had a few casual conversations with the staff lead- ing up to the camp, but he left State Col- lege with an appreciation for the kind of coaching he would receive from Barnes. "Honestly, Coach Barnes is probably one of the best D-line coaches I've ever camped with," Stancil said. "He takes time and teaches you when you mess up. He doesn't just move on without a correction. He's going to make you redo it until you get it right, and that's what I like about Coach Barnes." Stancil had 39 tackles, including 8 for loss, while playing in 12 games for Clay- ton High as a sophomore. He's listed in the On3 Industry Ranking as the No. 383 overall prospect and No. 37 defensive lineman nationally, as well as the No. 16 player in North Carolina. Among the schools that have offered are Florida, Florida State, NC State and Virginia Tech. A three-star prospect in the Industry Ranking, Stancil said he plans to return to Penn State this fall. "I'm definitely coming back to a game. I'm not sure which one yet, but I know for sure I am," he said. One other player to watch is line- backer Nick Abrams of McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Md. A 2026 prospect, Abrams became the latest in a long line of McDonogh players to earn an offer from the Nittany Lions. "It was a surreal feeling talking to Coach Franklin and Coach [Tom] Allen," Abrams said. "They talked to me about the things they liked about my game and also the things I needed to work on to be a better football player. This also means a lot because of the history between Penn State and my school. There have been many names that have gone there, and for my name to potentially be one of them, that's a pretty cool feeling." Abrams said the Nittany Lions' con- nections with McDonogh coach Ha- keem Sule helped elicit interest. Frank- lin, a former Maryland assistant, had coached Sule while with the Terps, and the two have remained close. "Coach Sule started telling Penn State about me, and it made it easy for them to listen," Abrams said. Penn State was the first school to ex- tend an offer to the 6-foot, 205-pound Penn State's 2027 recruiting class began taking shape on Aug. 2 when running back Kemon Spell of McKeesport (Pa.) High an- nounced that he had chosen the Nittany Li- ons. Spell was in State College for the Lasch Bash in late July before becoming the first prospect to join the class. "I loved the environment, the staff, the coaches," Spell said. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Spell was re- cruited by veteran assistant coach Terry Smith, whose recruiting territory includes the Pittsburgh area. Spell worked out with running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider at camp in July. He had previously attended the Blue-White Game in April and was on cam- pus for a spring practice in 2023. "They said I was great player, and they wanted me to be a part of that program," Spell said. He picked up his offer from the Nittany Lions back in May and has also been pur- sued by Florida State, Marshall, Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt, Syracuse, West Vir- ginia, Wisconsin and others. Spell ran for 579 yards and 9 touchdowns as a freshman in 2023, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He also caught a pair of touchdown passes and is a mem- ber of the Trib's Preseason Football All-Star Team in 2024. Spell's early commitment mirrors the start of the 2026 class for Penn State. At this time last year, the Nittany Lions got off and running when they earned a commitment from Harrisburg (Pa.) ball carrier Messiah Mickens. A four-star running back in the On3 In- dustry Ranking, Mickens remains a strong part of Penn State's 2026 class. His thought process was in line with that of Spells. "I already knew it was time," Mickens said. "When I went and traveled across the country, I felt like everything was the same. They're all great coaches. They're all great facilities. Nothing really stood out to me. "Penn State was always the school I really liked, and then when I started really nar- rowing it down, it was easy to see that it was home. Having my family come see me play is important to me. It's not far at all, so I just thought that was the best option for me and my family." — Sean Fitz Kemon Spell rushed for 579 yards and 9 touchdowns as a freshman at McKeesport (Pa.) High last fall. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Nittany Lions Receive First Commitment In 2027 Class