Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges, the consensus No. 2 prospect for the 2027 class, has reportedly narrowed his focus after moving away from a planned visit to Georgia—leaving Ohio State, Tennessee and Ole Miss as the schools most in play.
When five-star running back David Gabriel Georges’ commitment timeline was supposed to lead to a July 22 reveal. the next step looked simple: one more official visit in the SEC orbit. starting with Georgia. Instead. the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School standout is changing the rhythm of his recruiting run—just weeks before the final weekend visits begin to stack up.
Georges, a Canadian-born star rusher, had been set to meet with Georgia about finding him a role in its offense. But he is no longer planning on visiting Kirby Smart’s program, narrowing his attention to two other SEC schools and one Big Ten contender.
“I just wanted to focus on other schools that fit what I’m looking for better… I felt it was best to put my energy into the places where I see myself the most. ” Georges said in comments to Rivals. “No visit to Athens after all. ” the decision signals. because right now it doesn’t sound like Georgia is part of the strongest match.
Ohio State still holds a clear advantage
With Georgia out, Ohio State remains the main landing spot in the Buckeyes’ pursuit of Georges. The current edge comes from recent developmental success and, more personally, from the strength of the relationship being built between Georges and Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn.
Locklyn has met with Georges’ family in Quebec. Ohio State has also hosted Georges on campus for personal visits, including an official meet up scheduled between the two sides over the final weekend of last month.
No running back has committed to Ohio State’s 2027 class yet. Still, the No. 7 ranked group includes verbals from consensus No. 1 edge rusher David Jacobs, No. 3 wide receiver Jamier Brown, and the recent addition of No. 11 edge Wyatt Smith.
Rivals favors the Buckeyes by a seemingly insurmountable 91.7 percent likelihood, using Recruiting Prediction Machine metrics. Those numbers can shift late—especially for prominent recruits—but for now, Ohio State is holding the spotlight in the recruitment.
Tennessee and Ole Miss are pushing back
Georgia may be stepping back, but the SEC picture isn’t thinning—it’s sharpening. Tennessee and Ole Miss remain active challengers for Georges, and both are positioned to make the case that his fit is closer than it appears.
Tennessee and Ole Miss have “long been integral in the conversation” for Georges. and both sound like credible threats to Ohio State’s standing at this stage. Baylor School. where Georges is a varsity football star. has produced two recent prospects for Ole Miss—running back Shekai Mills-Knight and starting center Brycen Sanders—both alumni from the same institution.
This cycle, Ole Miss also landed a commitment early in the same class door. Rivals’ No. 4 nationally ranked quarterback and Baylor School star Keegan Croucher has already committed to Ole Miss’ 2027 recruiting class. And Mills-Knight appears to have taken a role in hosting Georges on his visit to Oxford last weekend.
Tennessee, meanwhile, is pressing with state ties and direct relationship-building. The Volunteers have been working hard to close the distance between themselves and the Buckeyes, and Georges’ uncle has suggested Tennessee may have moved to the forefront of his nephew’s affections.
That’s not surprising, the reporting notes, considering UT is prioritizing such a highly-ranked prospect from the state—one who earned Tennessee Mr. Football Honors. Running backs coach De’Rail Sims has also been working to build rapport with Georges this offseason.
What makes Georges a magnet for programs
The recruiting noise isn’t just about timing. Georges’ profile is exactly the kind of back programs circle when the board is built for explosive offense.
He’s described as a powerful. explosive back with rare size. elite burst. and a violent running style that makes him nearly impossible to bring down in the open field. Long viewed as one of the nation’s premier high school players at his position. Georges is currently listed as the consensus No. 2 running back in the country, according to an industry weighted average of the national recruiting services.
That same weighted average places him as the No. 15 overall prospect in the nation at any position, and the No. 1 recruit from the state of Tennessee.
With the July 22 commitment revelation still more than a month away. the race isn’t decided—especially after Georges’ reported choice to shift energy away from Georgia. Right now. Ohio State still leads on relationship strength and momentum. but Tennessee and Ole Miss are actively trying to close the gap with visits. connections. and a case that could keep Georges from waiting until the next wave of programs gets its turn.
David Gabriel Georges No. 2 running back 2027 recruiting Ohio State Carlos Locklyn Tennessee Vols Ole Miss Rebels Georgia recruiting Baylor School Kirby Smart Recruiting Prediction Machine