Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1540433
6 4 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M White Out only increased his interest in the Nittany Lions. "The experience was second to none," Burrell said. "The White Out is some- thing you have to see to believe. The energy was unreal. That's what makes Penn State special, playing in the big- gest games on the biggest stage." Cam Wade of Paducah, Ky., also at- tended the game after earning an of- fer from the Nittany Lions just weeks prior. Listed at 5-11, 165 pounds, Wade is one of the fastest players in the country. That's a major reason why he's ranked No. 147 nationally in the Rivals300 and No. 27 overall at the po- sition. "The game was amazing. Crazy at- mosphere. Most definitely the big- gest college football game I've ever watched," Wade said. "I got a chance to talk to some of the coaching staff and really liked the hospitality they showed. I'd love to get back for another game this fall or even in the spring." ■ Ranked by Rivals as the No. 9 wide receiver and No. 43 overall prospect in the 2027 class, Quentin Burrell visited Penn State for the first time in June and was back in State College for the White Out. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS Coaching Change Prompts Wave Of Decommitments As of Oct. 15, Penn State had lost seven recruits between its 2026 and '27 classes. The bad news actually started before James Franklin was let go, with four-star 2027 wide receiver Khalil Taylor of Pine-Richland High near Pittsburgh announcing on Oct. 10 that he planned to open up his recruitment. Ranked No. 31 nationally by Rivals and seventh overall at the position, Taylor cited Penn State's lack of development at his position as one of the main reasons for his decision. "I have great respect for Penn State and their staff, but I want to make sure I'm in the right situation to fully display my talents as a playmaker and continue developing as a wide receiver," he said. Two days later, Franklin was gone and the 2027 class fell apart. Five-star running back Kemon Spell of McKeesport, Pa., joined four-star offensive tackle Layton von Brandt of Middletown, Del., and four-star safety Gabe Jenkins of Pittsburgh in formally opening up their recruitment. Penn State's 2027 class had been ranked No. 1 in the nation early in the season and No. 2 overall when Franklin was let go. The class is no longer ranked. Of course, those players still have 14 months to sign, which is why the 2026 class is what matters most in the immediate future. As of Oct. 15, Penn State had formally lost three play- ers: wide receivers Davion Brown and Lavar Keys along with cornerback Jaziel Hart. Brown, who attends Trinity Episcopal in Richmond, Va., holds a three-star rating from Rivals but is a top-150 prospect according to 247Sports and a top-100 player as rated by ESPN. Those grades make him a four-star player in the Rivals Industry Ranking, which lists him as the No. 208 player and No. 35 wideout in the country. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver had an excellent summer on the camp circuit and has backed that up this season. He picked up an offer from Kansas State shortly after opening his recruitment. Keys is a 5-10, 165-pound slot receiver at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md. His decom- mitment was unsurprising; Keys took an official visit to Indiana this past summer, despite being committed to Penn State for nearly a year at that point. The Hoosiers remain interested in Keys, along with Kansas State, Maryland, Pitt, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Hart holds a four-star rating from Rivals. The Roanoke, Va., native committed to the staff back in May after earning two dozen scholarship offers. Since opening up his recruitment, the 6-0, 170-pound cornerback has been steadily hearing from Indiana, Michigan State, North Carolina and Virginia. "I felt it was in my best interest to decommit because of the safety of my recruitment and the place Penn State has been put in," Hart told BWI. "This is God's plan, and I'll follow his guidance to choose my next university to play football and get my degree." The fact that PSU lost only three 2026 commitments in the three days that fol- lowed Franklin's dismissal should be looked at as a positive, but it's important to note that the remaining 22 players in the class are still actively looking around. Ten of those players have publicly declared that they're staying committed for now but will be speaking with other schools. Wide re- ceiver Jahsiear Rogers, running back Mes- siah Mickens, offensive lineman Marlen Bright and safeties David Davis and Matt Sieg are among the top prospects to clarify their situation. Quarterback Troy Huhn, offensive line- man Kevin Brown, edge rusher Tyson Har- ley and linebacker Mathieu Lamah are a few other four-star prospects who had yet to comment on their status. — Ryan Snyder Five-star 2027 running back Kemon Spell of McKeesport, Pa., announced shortly after James Franklin's dismissal that he was reopening his recruitment. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS