Tennessee beats Ohio State for David Gabriel Georges, believed to be first $2M-a-year RB recruit

The David Gabriel Georges recruitment has finally come to an end as the nation’s No. 2 running back prospect announced his commitment to Tennessee on Wednesday.

The native of Quebec, Canada, plays at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and chose the Vols despite a strong push from Ohio State.

A person briefed on the negotiations, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to protect recruiting relationships, confirmed a report from On3’s Chris Low that Gabriel Georges was offered $6 million in total over three years, which would be the most lucrative deal for a running back in the NIL era.

This is the latest chapter in a heated Ohio State-Tennessee recruiting rivalry. The Vols beat Ohio State for five-star offensive tackle David Sanders in the Class of 2025, lost to the Buckeyes on four-star athlete Legend Bey in the 2026 cycle and then won this hotly contested battle for Gabriel Georges.

This is a massive win for the Vols, who entered the day with a class that ranked No. 29 nationally in the 247Sports Composite and included only seven blue-chippers among the 17 committed players.

Much like Ohio State, the Vols have been prioritizing Gabriel Georges throughout the process and pulled out all of the stops to impress him on his June visit, enlisting the help of former Vols star and current New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara.

This battle won’t end with the commitment, as Ohio State figures to keep pushing until the early signing period in December. However, Tennessee has been able to pitch a starting role in Year 1 and the opportunity to play close to his high school in Chattanooga.

Ohio State will now have to shift its focus elsewhere to find a running back in the 2027 class, but the Buckeyes still sport a top-10 class that currently includes three five-star prospects. Regardless, this is a big blow for Ryan Day and his staff, who have been targeting Gabriel Georges for years.

— The Athletic‘s Sam Khan Jr. contributed reporting.