Tennessee football landed its top target in the 2026 recruiting cycle Wednesday night when five-star running back David Gabriel Georges committed to the Vols over Ohio State and Ole Miss.
The commitment was a long time coming with Tennessee just edging out the Buckeyes after a multi-year recruitment that appeared neck-and-neck between the two sides. Why was Gabriel Georges so sought after for so long? The running back has been dominating Tennessee high school football, winning the Division II-AAA Mr. Football award in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
As a junior, Gabriel Georges rushed for an astounding 1,749 yards and 27 touchdowns on 161 carries according to MaxPreps. His most notable performance came in the state semifinals when he rushed for 431 yards and seven touchdowns in a 56-35 victory over rival McCallie.
McCallie had won the previous two Division II-AAA state championship titles. Gabriel Georges helped Baylor get past its biggest rival and win the state championship two weeks later with a win over Brentwood Academy.
As a sophomore, Gabriel Georges’ stats were more tame but still impressive, rushing for 1,013 yards and 14 touchdowns on 114 carries. That season, Baylor posted a 12-1 record with its lone loss coming against McCallie in the state championship.
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Over he last two seasons, the blue-chip running back has rushed for a combined 2,762 yards and 41 touchdowns on 275 carries. It’s an incredible 10.04 yards per carry.
Gabriel Georges ranks as a five-star recruit and the No. 12 player in the country according to 247sports. They also rank him as the No. 2 running back in the country and the top prep player in the state of Tennessee in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
Rivals is slightly lower on Gabriel Georges, ranking him still as a five-star but as the No. 23 recruit in the country. They also rank him as the No. 2 running back nationally and No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee.
Time will tell whether Gabriel Georges is the best running back in his recruiting class, but he has done nothing but produce on the field in high school. Tennessee will give him a chance to do the same thing early and often during his college tenure.
