On Monday, the initial 2027 Rivals250 was released on Rivals.com and the list featured three WPIAL football recruits.
Aliquippa defensive back Larry Moon III, McKeesport running back Kemon Spell and Imani Christian Academy defensive back Gabriel Jenkins were all included in the rankings.
Moon is one of the most notable young players in WPIAL football as he was ranked 43rd and received a high 5.9 four-star rating. The 5-11, 180-pound cornerback recruit holds prestigious offers from Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Penn State, Tennessee, Pitt, West Virginia and others.
On3 also rates him as a four star, but slots him in as 91st nationally in the 2027 cycle and the eighth corner. For his sophomore season, Moon made the transition from Central Catholic back home to play for the three-time defending WPIAL champs Aliquippa Quips.
The next Pittsburgh area star on the list was Spell at No. 52 as a 5.9 four star prospect.
Spell’s recruitment took off after an strong freshman campaign, but he wouldn’t wait long before naming his future home. During the offseason, Spell committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions, becoming the first commit of James Franklin’s 2027 class.
Along with his Rivals250 ranking, Spell is labeled as the 59th-best player in the class by 247Sports, while holding his highest mark from On3 as the country’s seventh-best recruit in the class.
Not too much further down the Rivals250 sits Imani Christian Academy’s Gabriel Jenkins at No. 54. The 6-foot, 167-pound cornerback holds a 5.9 four-star rating.
Jenkins owns offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan State, UCF, Maryland, Kentucky and others.
In addition to Rivals, Jenkins holds a four-star rating from On3, slotting in at the same No. 54 on both recruiting services. On3 has him as the sixth-best corner in the class and third-ranked player in Pa.
For more on local recruits, offers and commits, check out PSN’s WPIAL Football Recruiting Board.
Good to see a few in the top 250. Unfortunately western pa football isn’t the hot bed it once was year to year. We used to have a lot more than three when I played.