Ohio State is doing everything it can to land the nation’s No. 2 running back. But inside David Gabriel Georges’ family, the pull toward an SEC powerhouse is hard to miss. As rumors grew that the 2027 five‑star had already picked a school, the noise around his recruitment started to overshadow the story. On Tuesday, DDG decided to step in and set the record straight.

“I didn’t say anything,” wrote Georges on his X on July 7, Tuesday. But Georges’ tweet contradicts Wiltfong’s report. Days earlier, the Rivals analyst claimed Georges had already decided on OSU. “He’s already made his decision,” said Georges’ uncle Jean Agenor to On3. “We had our meeting last week.”

“They really want me to be a Buckeye. They not only want to develop me as a football player, but as a man,” said Georges last month to ON3 after his official visit to Columbus.

Meanwhile, Tennessee has made its pitch feel personal. During his June official visit, the Vols brought in former star and NFL running back Alvin Kamara to show DDG what life looks like on Rocky Top. For his family, it was not just about football.

“If you compare Ohio State to Tennessee, Ohio State would remain Ohio State. I feel like if you’re a big-time player, you can go to a team, and they’ll build something around you, and they can have their best three years in history,” said the 5-star RB’s uncle, as written by Wiltfong in an article. “Tennessee may not be Ohio State the next 10 to 15 years, but your three years there could be the best years of Tennessee.”

“Tennessee, it’s different,” said Agenor to On3 this Monday, as reported by A to Z Sports. “That’s where we have the best relationships overall. We might have the best position coach relationship with Coach Lock [OSU RB coach Carlos Locklyn], having been around him a long time, but I think overall when it comes to a staff, the best relationships are with Tennessee.”

Beyond relationships, one factor looms larger: money. On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Tennessee is prepared to offer more than Ohio State in NIL. “He’s expected to be in the $1 million range, shy of $2 million. It will be a multi-year deal; that’s something the family has talked about. The family is very clear that it wants a multi-year deal, so they have a roadmap for his entire career,” according to Pete Nakos.

If reports stand true, all signs point to the Vols. But Ryan Day isn’t the one who gives up before the final minutes, even after losing elite running back targets to the SEC in past cycles.

Is Ohio State ultimately going to lose the No. 2 RB?

Ohio State already has a star running back in Bo Jackson. Despite that, the Buckeyes are pushing hard to land five-star recruit David Gabriel Georges, who is coming off a huge junior season with 1,756 yards and 27 touchdowns. Missing out on the nation’s No. 2 back would hurt Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting momentum, and it would weaken their future backfield depth for upcoming playoff runs once he joins the college ranks.

“David Gabriel Georges, I convinced you to go from Ohio State to the Tennessee side about all my pitches about why he would be a Vol,” wrote Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “I feel even better about that pitch, you know, this weekend coming off the official visit, man. Whether it be about just the fans showing that love with The Rock right there on campus, or him wearing that number zero he covets to wear in college football in the photo shoot, of course. He had family with him on campus.

“Everything from what I’ve gathered from DGG himself, others that were there on the visit to people around the program—it was a grand slam for Tennessee,” added Simmons.

The decision rests with Georges. Since we expect clarity, we’ll just have to wait until July 22.