When you’re a coveted 5-star RB, every day seems to bring another public pitch and another reminder that two powerhouse programs believe he’s the missing piece. Ohio State has spent months making David Gabriel Georges its top priority. Tennessee, meanwhile, has turned the final stretch into a team effort. The Canadian-born standout, who now plays for Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is set to announce his decision on July 22. Now that the clock is ticking, the Vols’ 2027 commits aren’t sitting quietly.

In his speech on Vols on SI, Tennessee commit Q’Mari Hudson kicked things off with perhaps the strongest recruiting pitch of the bunch.

“DGG, come be a Vol,” he said. “We’re building something special at Tennessee, and I’d love to have you beside me. I know the type of player and person you are, and I think we’d accomplish a lot together. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you in orange soon.”

Hudson wasn’t alone. Fellow Tennessee commit Slim Leavell also sold the hometown angle. 

“There is nothing like staying home,” he said. “All the opportunities are in Knoxville.”

QB commit Derrick Baker added a championship promise.

“I would just say Tennessee is going to be the place you come to stay and never want to leave,” he said. “Plus, win some titles along with it.”

Long snapper Sam McKeown shared a similar message, saying Josh Heupel is building something big and that “DGG would be a huge addition to the team.”

One message is easy to ignore. Four in a row is coordinated recruiting. Now, this recruitment might feel somehow familiar because Ohio State and Tennessee have been here before. Not long ago, both schools battled over RB Legend Bey. He committed to Tennessee, flipped to Ohio State, flipped back during the early signing period, then eventually ended up with the Buckeyes after it became clear Knoxville wasn’t where he truly wanted to be. Family influence became a talking point throughout that saga.

Now, similar questions are surfacing again. Rivals recruiting analyst Alex Gleitman suggested the final decision may depend on who ultimately has the loudest voice.

“Ultimately, there is a feeling from some involved that this one could come down to who has the say in the final choice and how much of a factor some of those package elements have on the final decision,” he wrote. “Only DGG and his family know where things stand on that front and what truly will be the ultimate deciding factors in his choice of where his future home will be.”

That doesn’t mean the family is making the decision. But people close to the recruitment know David Gabriel Georges’ aunt and uncle have taken a leading role in handling NIL discussions, making them significant figures throughout the process. And that’s where things become even more fascinating.

Ohio State is pushing harder than ever

Ohio State rarely throws enormous NIL money at freshman prospects. This time, it has. The Buckeyes are reportedly offering about  $1 million per year in a multi-year package, a figure that would rank among the biggest they’ve ever committed to a high school RB. Even so, reports indicate Tennessee’s overall package may still be larger, with Adidas playing a role that Ryan Day’s program couldn’t match through Nike.

Then there’s the relationship side. RBs coach Carlos Locklyn has become one of Ohio State’s biggest advantages. His connection with David Gabriel Georges and his family is viewed as one of the strongest in the recruitment. The Buckeyes have even offered his Baylor teammate and close friend Jordan Djila, showing just how committed they have been to landing the prized back. 

If David Gabriel Georges chooses Tennessee, Ohio State will quickly pivot, likely exploring flips from other committed RBs or waiting for the winter transfer portal. But it doesn’t take a genius to understand that DGG has been Plan A from the start. Now the waiting game begins. On July 22, one of the country’s biggest recruiting battles will finally get its answer.