Tennessee’s long pursuit of a marquee 2027 prospect slowly fades away with the latest recruiting report. On3’s Steve Wiltfong reveals that a Big Ten giant surged in for the Volunteers’ five-star in-state RB target, landing a tough blow to Josh Heupel.

Baylor School RB David Gabriel-Georges, whom Heupel and his staff have been targeting since July 2024, is likely trending towards Ohio State, with an official visit set for Columbus, per Wiltfong.

“David Gabriel-Georges will take his official visit to Ohio State the weekend of May 29,” Steve Wiltfong said on the February 27 episode of Wiltfong Whiparound. “And if Ohio State can land just one more recruit in this 2027 cycle, I think David Gabriel-Georges is his target. Numero Uno, Carlos Locklyn, and the Buckeye staff have been on him as long as anybody. And I continue to like my rivals’ prediction machine forecast in favor of Ohio State forward David Gabriel-Georges.”

Despite Georges’ strong ties to Tennessee, evidenced by multiple visits to Knoxville, Ohio State’s aggressive pursuit, offering him just a day after the Vols, has clearly paid off, positioning them as the frontrunner. The same was confirmed by Wiltfong. 

“The relationship, the track record of development at running back across the board, the style of play, the consistency of the program, competing for championships, and NIL opportunities—Ohio State is in a tremendous position,” Wiltfong continued. “Tennessee continues to be the other major program in contention for David Gabriel-Georges.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

The RB’s recruitment is still open with other top schools, including Ole Miss, LSU, and Miami. However, Ohio State’s chances look solid, with On3 currently giving it a 90% chance of landing Gabriel-Georges, while the Volunteers rank behind at 1.3%. It’s a move his family is also comfortable with.

“I think that [Ohio State] they’re the program to beat going into the next phase of the process,” said Steve Wiltfong.

The Buckeyes have no RB commits for their 2027 class, and if they are set to land him, there’s no doubt he could play a crucial role like Bo Jackson in the 2025 season. Since Ja’Kobi Jackson is also set to leave the program following the 2026 season, his starter role looks obvious.

While Gabriel-Georges is reportedly keeping his cards close to his chest, the Vols will continue to push aggressively to keep the young running back in Tennessee. To understand why programs like Ohio State and Tennessee are in a heated battle, a look at Gabriel-Georges’s on-field production tells the story.

David Gabriel-Georges’s scouting report

David Gabriel-Georges, the nation’s second-best running back prospect of the 2027 class, is a standout at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 6-foot, 205-pounder is a hard-driving RB with quickness and power. Gabriel-Georges entered the national spotlight after his 2024 season, where he totaled 1,013 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in ten games, including a 232-yard performance against McCallie. 

His heroic performance earned him the MaxPreps Tennessee High School Football Player of the Year award. He followed that up with an even more impressive breakout junior season. Gabriel-Georges led Baylor to its first undefeated season since 1973, racking up 1,756 rushing yards for 27 touchdowns. This includes a 222-yard and four-touchdown performance against Ruban Gap.

He currently holds 38 offers from top schools; however, he has enough time to make his decision.