Ohio State has to regret one thing about its recruitment of David Gabriel Georges now that he’s going to Tennessee over the Buckeyes
David Gabriel Georges has committed to Tennessee over Ohio State and it’s a tough loss for the Buckeyes. Ryan Day and the staff may end up regretting one thing about the recruitment.
The biggest day remaining on the current recruiting calendar for the Ohio State Buckeyes and their top target has come and gone with a decision made.
Ohio State has lost out on 2027 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges, who announced his verbal commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers on Monday. Gabriel Georges chose Tennessee over Ohio State and Ole Miss, ending a recruitment the Buckeyes had invested heavily in for more than a year. It’s a significant recruiting loss for Ohio State, which had made Gabriel Georges its top running back target in the 2027 class and pushed away other options at the position as a result.
Why Tennessee won out over Ohio State
The reasons the Volunteers landed Gabriel Georges over the Buckeyes are straightforward. Tennessee’s reported NIL offer nearly doubled what Ohio State put on the table, coming in at around $2 million per year over three years.
Beyond the financial side, Tennessee offered Gabriel Georges the right to wear No. 0, something Ohio State could not accommodate due to the Block O. The Volunteers also offered Gabriel Georges a starting spot, which the Buckeyes were not in a position to guarantee with Bo Jackson in place for at least the 2027 season.
The Canadian native, who plays his high school football in Tennessee, elected to stay in the area. It’s a big recruiting win for the Volunteers program, pulling a 5-star talent away from Ryan Day’s program in a head-to-head battle.
What this means for Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class
This is a tough break for Ohio State. The Buckeyes had gone all in on Georges as their guy at running back in this class, and that singular focus now leaves them in a difficult spot. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and the staff will have to pivot quickly, either identifying a new running back target in the 2027 recruiting cycle or waiting to address the position through the transfer portal.
Ohio State remains at 18 commitments in the class of 2027, with potentially a couple more additions still to come. The Buckeyes have proven they can recover from recruiting losses in the past, but there’s no sugarcoating how much this one stings given how long they pursued Gabriel Georges and the roster decisions they made along the way.
Time will tell how Ohio State addresses the running back position from here, but the 2027 class is continuing to take shape and the Buckeyes need an answer at running back sooner rather than later.