Matt Johnson
Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers have been on a tear this month with their 2027 recruiting class, landing multiple commitments and flipping a player away from an SEC rival. In a matter of weeks, Tennessee could soon land one of the best high school recruits in the nation.
Chad Simmons of On3.com reports that the Volunteers are now the “team to beat’ for five-star running back prospect David Gabriel Georges, with a prediction now logged for Tennessee to come out on top of a heated battle for him.
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Entering the fourth week of June, Rivals.com rated Tennessee 30th in its 2027 football team recruiting rankings. It is an improvement for the program after a multi-week stretch that saw commitments from linebacker Kenneth Simon II, tight end Malik Howard, cornerback Dylan Haley, and offensive tackle O’Mari Hudson.
In its latest 2027 recruiting rankings, 247 Sports rated Gabriel-Georges as the second-best running back in the class and the 12th-best player in the country. He is ranked similarly by Rivals and On3.com, listed second at his position and 15th overall.
“Violent runner who pairs high-end vision with supreme tackle-breaking ability. Measured at around 5-foot-11, 200 pounds as a junior. Dominant runner on Friday nights, turning in a historic run of big-game performances as a junior while leading his team to a state title. Has a viscerally violent and aggressive running style. Plays with outstanding vision, setting up and reading blocks. A natural who can pick his way through the line of scrimmage with instincts and lateral agility. An absolute load to tackle at the second level with elite contact balance and power. Lowers his shoulder to truck ball carriers. Spins out of tackle attempts and has the balance to gather and finish runs. Has a strong stiff arm. Can hit home runs once at the second level…Has solid top end speed, but can continue improving in that area. One of the clear top running back prospects in the 2027 cycle and projects as a bellcow back in college and beyond.”
On3.com’s Charles Power on David Gabriel Georges
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A Tennessee native, the 6-foot running back is coming off an outstanding year with The Baylor School Red Raiders. As a junior, he put up 1,756 yards with 27 touchdowns and averaged over 11 yards per carry.
As of now, Tennessee’s primary competition is the Ohio State Buckeyes. It puts Heupel and the Volunteers coaching staff in a familiar position, battling a Big Ten school for a five-star running back prospect.
In the last cycle, Tennessee made a late push to flip Savion Hiter away from the Michigan Wolverines. He signed with Michigan and has already been drawing a lot of buzz from spring practices. Given that Gabriel Georges already lives in Tennessee, there certainly seems to be a better shot of the Volunteers coming out on top of this battle.
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