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NCAA, College League, USA Football: Sugar Bowl-Mississippi at Georgia Jan 1, 2026 New Orleans, LA, USA Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. New Orleans Caesars Superdome LA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAmberxSearlsx 20260101_hlf_si2_004
Imago
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Sugar Bowl-Mississippi at Georgia Jan 1, 2026 New Orleans, LA, USA Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. New Orleans Caesars Superdome LA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAmberxSearlsx 20260101_hlf_si2_004
Imago
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Sugar Bowl-Mississippi at Georgia Jan 1, 2026 New Orleans, LA, USA Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. New Orleans Caesars Superdome LA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAmberxSearlsx 20260101_hlf_si2_004
Imago
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Sugar Bowl-Mississippi at Georgia Jan 1, 2026 New Orleans, LA, USA Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. New Orleans Caesars Superdome LA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAmberxSearlsx 20260101_hlf_si2_004
Kemon Spell isn’t just settling in at Athens; he’s already on the recruiting trail for Kirby Smart. His first targets? A pair of four-star prospects that Penn State believes are already locked up. It’s a win-win situation for Kirby Smart.
Not only did he get the commitment from the five-star recruit, but Smart now also has the opportunity to bring in additional talent. Kemon Spell has narrowed in on two 4-star recruits, namely wide receiver Khalil Taylor and offensive lineman Jimmy Kalis.
Exploring their bio, Taylor hails from Gibsonia and currently plays at Pine-Richland High School, with an ESPN Scout grade of 83. He is also considered the No. 14 wide receiver in the nation and No. 65 overall player. The other potential recruit, Kalis, is presently completing high school at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. He has an 80 Scout grade on ESPN and is considered the No. 247 overall player in his class.
Neither of these prospects has committed, despite having multiple Power 4 programs showing interest. That is a very positive sign for Kirby Smart. With Spell backing him up, Smart now has the chance to build an elite class of 2027, ensuring a bright future for the Bulldogs. However, there’s one Big Ten program Smart must worry about.
Matt Campbell has been tasked with reshaping Penn State, which also means building for the future. As a result, he has turned his focus toward top young prospects. Both Taylor and Spell were once part of the same Penn State recruiting class before decommitting. If not Spell, Taylor could become Campbell’s top priority. That should be a worrying sign for Smart, especially after Taylor admitted he spoke with PSU’s offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser.
“I met with him one time,” Taylor said. “He visited me at school. I liked what he was talking about. He sounds like a dude. They’re talking about how good their offense is. They throw the ball. They’re saying, ‘this ain’t the old Penn State.’ They’re telling me they’re going to throw the rock. They’re going to make sure the wide receivers shine.”
This, along with his previous connection to Penn State, suggests that a recruiting battle between Campbell and Smart for Taylor may be brewing.
While that may be, Smart has other potential Kemon Spell-led recruits to look forward to. Spell has lined up 6 recruits he wants with him at Athens. Aside from Taylor and Kalis, Spell has identified four recruits. Three of them have a deeper connection with Spell as they are all part of the same 7-on-7 team. The three players are Jayden Aparicio-Bailey from Alabama, Semaj Stanford, and Kalib Dillard from Oklahoma. Since Spell is already familiar with their playing styles, bringing them onto the Bulldogs’ roster would help build chemistry among the group.
The final talent on Kemon Spell’s list is tight end Brock Williams. Ranked as the No.2 tight end in his class, his arrival in Athens will add depth to the position for Smart. Ultimately, it’s up to the players to choose where they want to go. But Spell’s strong loyalty to Georgia is a positive sign that the program has landed a player who truly believes in it.
Why Kemon Spell seems a natural fit for Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs
Since committing, Kemon Spell has remained strongly committed to Georgia. He has already begun recruiting other prospects and has been open about his excitement to join the program. Recently, he announced that he canceled other visits so he could be in Athens every week in June. That decision shows a massive commitment, as he is deciding to focus entirely on the Bulldogs.
Spell’s plan to be in Athens throughout June is significant, as he’ll be on hand to help recruit the official visitors the Bulldogs are hosting each week. The Bulldogs will host a group of official visitors, and Spell will try to recruit those prospects every week. While his off-the-field contributions are worthy of praise, Spell would also fit well in Kirby Smart’s plans.
There could be potential competition with Nate Frazier in the 2027 season. It would help him to develop and adjust Spell to the college football level, giving Smart a blend of experience and youth at the position.
Spell’s combination of on-field talent and off-field dedication as a recruiter makes him a foundational piece for Georgia’s 2027 class.
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