The Penn State Nittany Lions’ recruitment is taking losses following the firing of head coach James Franklin after 12 seasons. The program sacked the head coach after three consecutive losses, with the latest coming against Northwestern last week.
The surprising loss and the dismissal of Franklin thereafter has led to several recruits backing out of their commitments. While the 2026 class has been relatively stable, the 2027 recruitment class has been hit badly.
Let’s take a look at all the players who have decommitted from the program after Franklin’s firing.
Penn State Decommitments After James Franklin’s Firing
1. Gabe Jenkins (Safety, 2027)
According to ESPN, Gabe Jenkins was the first to pull the pledge after the program fired James Franklin. Jenkins was offered by several programs, including Baylor, Florida State and Indiana, but he chose to commit to Penn State, noting the program’s massive upside. But now it seems the three-star athlete is not so much convinced to stay loyal.
2. Kemon Spell (Running Back, 2027)
Spell is a five-star running back and is one of the highest recruits to decommit from the program. He carries offers from multiple top programs, including Georgia, Michigan and Notre Dame. The program looking to upgrade their 2027 class in this position would be monitoring his latest activity.
3. Layton Von Brandt (Offensive Tackle, 2027)
Shortly after the firing, the top-100 tackle opened his recruitment again. The 6-foot-6, 260 lbs offensive tackle should once again ignite excitement within Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and many more now that the four-star is up for grabs.
4. Davion Brown (Wide Receiver, 2027)
Brown took it to social media to announce his decommitment. The wide receiver is from Richmond, Virginia and is a four-star athlete, carrying 83 scout grade from ESPN. Apart from Penn State, he also visited Syracuse, Georgia and Duke, making them possible destinations to lure him there.
5. Jaziel Hart (Cornerback, 2026)
Hart is so far the only recruit in the 2026 class who has reversed course after Franklin’s exit. He is a four-star cornerback from North Cross School, Roanoke, VA. He committed to Franklin’s program in May over offers from Michigan, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
It remains to be seen how Penn State handles the recruitment troubles following multiple departures in the 2027 class.
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