Georges' decision reshapes Ohio State's depth chart
In a quiet moment at his family’s home in Chattanooga, David Gabriel Georges sat with his phone on the kitchen table, the weight of the decision pressing down. The announcement was final — he had picked Tennessee over Ohio State and Ole Miss. He was 17 years old and about to become one of the most sought-after running backs in the 2027 class.
Georges, a Canadian native who moved to the U.S. two years ago, was the No. 10 overall recruit according to 247Sports' composite rankings. At 6 feet, 220 pounds, he’s the kind of athlete college coaches dream about: explosive, elusive, and mature beyond his years. At the Baylor School in Tennessee, he rushed for 1,756 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Red Raiders to an undefeated season. He also won the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award for the second consecutive season.
A long-simmering recruiting rivalry
This wasn’t the first time Ohio State found itself in a tug-of-war with Tennessee. Last year, the Volunteers lured away David Sanders Jr., a top offensive tackle from North Carolina. The pattern is clear, and it’s not lost on the Buckeyes' coaching staff. They had visited Georges in Chattanooga multiple times, offered him a chance to be the face of a new era at running back. But in the end, the Volunteers pulled it off again.
A gap opens for Ohio State
With Georges' commitment, Ohio State remains without a running back commit in the 2027 class — a rare occurrence for a program that typically secures at least one in each recruiting cycle. Since 2023, they’ve signed five running backs across two classes. Now, they're starting from scratch. And for a position that’s already in transition as TreVeyon Henderson shifts to the NFL, the timing is especially tough.
Georges' decision was final after a whirlwind three weeks of visits. He toured Ohio State, Tennessee, and Mississippi, talking with coaches, meeting teammates, and feeling the energy of each program. But the Volunteers felt right. According to reports, a significant name, image, and likeness package from Tennessee played a role in his decision, alongside a strong in-state coaching connection. Ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the Rivals Industry Rankings regardless of position, Georges is now commit No. 18 for the 2027 class at Tennessee. A native of Canada, he stated he believes “Tennessee is building and bringing in top players that will make an immediate impact, and they made it very clear that they see me the same way and that I am their top priority for 2027.” Georges also considered Georgia and several other schools. At 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, his recruitment was overseen by future position coach De'Rail Sims, and he has often expressed how much he enjoys the atmosphere at Neyland Stadium, calling it “thunderous” and promising a great experience. As a junior, Georges rushed for 27 touchdowns and 1,756 yards, including a standout 431-yard, seven-touchdown game in the state semifinals. Rivals Director of Scouting Charles Power compared Georges to Quinshon Judkins, praising his violent running style, vision, and elite contact balance. While Georges has potential for growth in speed, he projects as a bellcow back in college and beyond. What may even hurt worse for Ohio State is knowing how it was viewed until NIL features became more public down the stretch, which has sometimes become a common theme. The 2026 class offered top running back targets Ohio State was certainly interested in, but knowing Gabriel Georges was in the future class with a young stable of running backs already in Columbus, the staff was comfortable waiting to give their best shot for his services a year later — and they did just that. Still it wasn't enough, as Tennessee is reportedly not only offering $2 million per year for three seasons, but also taking care of his family among other perks. A truly wild world college football has become, the Vols — while not winning anything meaningful on the field in decades — have won the upper hand here with their offer, and the Buckeyes simply were not willing to go any higher. It's important to note that Tennessee's staff also clearly created impactful relationships with David and his family which helped them win in the end, but if you're looking at things with every aspect in mind, obviously the money offered to DGG jumps to the top of reasons as to why he would choose to stay in Tennessee for his collegiate career. Ohio State now needs to look elsewhere. Seen in recent memory with the offensive line and Tennessee landing David Sanders Jr. over Ohio State, the Buckeyes switched their recruiting strategy from zeroing in on one major target to casting a wider net, and the 2027 class shows that to be the case as Tyler Bowen has done a fantastic job. In 2028 and beyond, Locklyn would be wise to do the same since putting all of your eggs in one basket only works when it's in your favor.
Georges is from Quebec, Canada, but attends the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has been a priority for Josh Heupel and the rest of the coaching staff since July of 2024 when they offered him a scholarship. They used their proximity to their advantage, hosting him on two visits in 2024, four more in 2025, and a crucial official visit on June 5, 2025, which allowed them to surge ahead of Ohio State after the two had been battling it out. Gabriel Georges is Tennessee's top-ranked commit and is someone who can be a Day One contributor for the Vols. The 6-foot, 210-pounder rushed for 1,749 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior, averaging 10.9 yards per carry and 174.9 yards per game. He is ranked as the No. 10 overall player and No. 2 running back in the 247Sports composite. He is the No. 1 player in Tennessee. The Vols have done a great job of keeping the best players in Tennessee home, landing the top two players in the state and five of the top 10. Tennessee now has 18 players committed in its 2027 recruiting class, which is ranked as the 24th-best in the country by 247Sports. It is the 10th-best in the SEC.
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