The Ohio State Buckeyes lost their top running back target in the 2027 recruiting class when five-star prospect David Gabriel Georges committed to Tennessee on Wednesday. Ohio State football recruiting now shifts to Plan B at the position after the Buckeyes went all in on Gabriel Georges for two years, pushing other running back options aside while waiting on his decision.

The loss stings for Ohio State, which had built a strong recruiting relationship with the product through running backs coach Carlos Locklyn. But Gabriel Georges chose the Volunteers, and the Buckeyes now find themselves back at the drawing board with a significant hole in the class.

Ohio State’s all-in approach backfired

The Buckeyes’ strategy of prioritizing Gabriel Georges above all other running back targets left them in a difficult position. Ohio State held off on allowing other backs to commit while it waited for Georges to make his decision. That gamble didn’t pay off, and the program now enters late July without a running back commitment in the 2027 class.

Two names have already surfaced as potential targets who could fill the void.

Nigel Newkirk and Trenard Roberts could be options for Ohio State

According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Alabama running back commit Nigel Newkirk is someone Ohio State will take a look at. The Buckeyes have been in the mix with Newkirk before. Ohio State was scheduled to host Newkirk for an official visit on June 12, but he never took the trip because he committed to Alabama during his May 29 visit with the Crimson Tide.

Newkirk is a four-star running back from Gainesville, Georgia, ranked as the No. 16 back in the class and No. 226 nationally according to 247 Sports’ Composite. At 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, he has the build Ohio State typically looks for at the position.

The other name Wiltfong pointed to was Trenard Roberts from The Villages Charter School in Williston, Florida. Roberts is a three-star prospect ranked as the No. 38 running back in the country with 17 offers from schools like Auburn, Florida, Arkansas, and Colorado. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound back originally played at IMG Academy before transferring to The Villages Charter ahead of his senior season.

Ohio State offered Roberts back in June of 2025, so there is existing familiarity between the two sides. Wildfong indicated he could see things picking up between Roberts and the Buckeyes.

Locklyn has work to do this summer

Locklyn now faces a critical stretch through the fall to find a running back for the 2027 class. Ohio State made it clear throughout the Gabriel Georges recruitment that adding a back was a priority, and that need hasn’t changed.

The coming couple of months will tell a lot about which direction the Buckeyes go. Whether it’s flipping Newkirk from Alabama, ramping things up with Roberts, or pursuing another target altogether, Ohio State still needs to add a running back before the 2027 class is complete.