The biggest shakeup in the 2027 recruiting cycle so far belongs to Georgia, and it starts with the top running back in the country.
Kemon Spell, the No. 1 ranked tailback prospect, was once committed to Penn State, the Big Ten program close to home. But that changed when Georgia came in and won him over, turning what looked like a major stay-put pledge into the cycle’s most talked-about flip.
Rivals analysts recently labeled Spell’s move from Penn State to Georgia as the biggest flip by any prospect this year. The timing of James Franklin’s exit from the Nittany Lions after last season’s sluggish start mattered too, with Spell viewing that change as a reason to look for a steadier situation. Georgia, already a consistent presence in his recruitment, ended up being the landing spot when the in-state path fell apart.
Spell’s commitment gives Georgia its first five-star pledge in the 2027 class. He joins tight end Jaxon Dollar, the No. 2 tight end, who committed in April. The Bulldogs’ class now sits 16th nationally with 17 pledges, including eight blue chip prospects.
Spell may be the headliner, but he’s hardly alone in a cycle full of movement.
Miami, in particular, has been busy on the flip front. The Hurricanes landed three top 15 changes of heart, pulling cornerback Ai’King Hall away from Oregon, top five edge rusher Jaiden Bryant off LSU, and second-ranked cornerback Donte Wright from Georgia. Rivals analysts ranked Wright’s and Bryant’s switches as the second and third biggest flips in the class.
And the carousel may not be done spinning yet.
Defensive lineman Jalen Brewster, the No. 1 overall recruit and the best player in the country, is currently committed to Texas Tech but is being pursued hard by LSU and Florida. LSU is also trying to pry top-ranked national wide receiver Easton Royal away from Texas. Meanwhile, David Jacobs, the consensus No. 1 edge rusher in the country, has been pledged to Ohio State since late last year, but Georgia and Miami have both been working to get him to change course.
Any one of those moves could end up overtaking Spell’s decision as the cycle’s biggest flip. For now, though, Georgia owns the headline.
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