With time winding down to a reported Decision Day for five-star 2027 running back David Gabriel Georges, ESPN has switched up its take on the coveted prospect.
ESPN’s recruiting rankings previously had Gabriel Georges tagged as a four-star prospect in the 2027 class. It wasn’t considered all that much of an outlier because Rivals has him tabbed with the same ranking. But after seeing him in “limited in-person evaluations and on tape,” ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill have decided to bump DGG up to five-star status.
“He uses his thick, sturdy build to run with an outstanding blend of speed and power,” ESPN writes. “Expect him to dictate the terms of engagement with defenders because he runs behind his pads with great balance to break tackles. His vision stands out, and Gabriel Georges knows how to decisively hit the hole when he spots daylight and slip defenders in the process.”
During the evaluation process, Haubert and Luginbill identified one key trait that proved Gabriel Georges was worth the fifth and final star.
“Gabriel Georges’ speed is what etched his five-star status,” ESPN writes. “He has breakaway home run speed, consistently reaching over 21 mph in games. Whether it’s churning out tough yards and wearing down defenses or finding a lane to take it all the way, Gabriel Georges is a big-play weapon.”
The speed is one of the most easily noticeable aspects of his game when turning on the tape. He can burst through the middle of the defense before opposing players can react, or simply run around them to hit the edge and shoot down the sideline. During a game against rival McCallie last season, Gabriel Georges ran for 431 yards and seven touchdowns for Baylor School.
More From RTI: College Football Insider Offers Unique Take on Tennessee’s Pursuit of Elite RB Target David Gabriel Georges
While it’s easy to find in in-game tape, Gabriel Georges has also proved his testing speed.
In early May, Gabriel Georges posted a clip to X of himself running the 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.38 seconds. To put that number in perspective, it would’ve been tied for the 20th-best 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine this past March. It would also have been the fourth-best time among running backs at the combine, trailing only Mike Washington’s 4.33, Jeremiyah Love’s 4.36, and Demond Clairborne’s 4.37. The time is 0.11 seconds faster than Jadarian Price, who went as the final pick in the first round.
4.38 laser today
22.57 mph
220lbs
S/O to my trainer for getting me in shape @BridgeCitySP !! @ErikKimrey @jay_agenor @BaylorSchoolFB
📸: DezEditzz pic.twitter.com/vx5M8Bk7UvAdvertisement— David Gabriel Georges 🇭🇹🇨🇦 (@DavidGG27) May 2, 2026
Gabriel Georges is an incredibly talented prospect in the 2027 cycle and one that Tennessee hopes to keep in-state. He’s got the combination of size, speed, and power to be an elite running back in the SEC and a true difference-maker in whichever program he chooses. The question, though, is where he will land.
This spring, DGG took back-to-back-to-back visits to Ohio State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss, in that order. He was originally supposed to take a visit to Georgia, but wound up cancelling that. And while the Rebels did get the final official visit, reports around his recruitment suggest that the battle is mainly between the Vols and the Buckeyes.
With strong and heated competition around them, Tennessee has put its best foot forward in the race. The Vols have reportedly offered Gabriel Georges an extremely high NIL package, but have also done the work to make him feel at home on Rocky Top. During his official visit to Knoxville on June 5, Tennessee brought in VFL and NFL legend Alvin Kamara to be his shadow throughout the weekend.
Still, though, the Buckeyes present a tough challenge. Ohio State held a ton of momentum heading into the official visits, and while Tennessee certainly flipped some of that to its side, the Buckeyes still have a good offer and a good potential future being sold.
According to CBS Sports, Gabriel Georges will make his collegiate decision on July 22. ESPN ranks Gabriel Georges as the 14th best player in the class, the No. 2 running back in the cycle, and the No. 1 player from the Volunteer State.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee Football recruiting coverage.
