Adidas can help Tennessee deliver a knockout blow to Ohio State, and it’s not just because of David Gabriel Georges
Adidas is already paying off for the Tennessee Volunteers after the program recently made the switch from Nike.
The Tennessee Vols officially switched from Nike to Adidas earlier this month, and the partnership could help deliver a knockout blow to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Tennessee and Ohio State are currently in the midst of a recruiting battle for 2027 five-star running back David Gabriel Georges.
According to On3, Tennessee has offered Gabriel Georges the bigger NIL deal, and it’s believed that Adidas has played a part in that.
“Adidas has sweetened the pot (for Gabriel Georges) in a way that I just don’t know how [Ohio State can] combat it,” said Ohio State reporter Jeremy Birmingham last week on 97.1 The Fan. “Ohio State reportedly — or I’ve been told — they asked Nike if they could get involved, and [Nike] said ‘We don’t get involved with high school athletes.’”
The bigger NIL offer doesn’t necessarily mean that Gabriel Georges will commit to Tennessee — his uncle said this month that it’s “not about the money” — but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Adidas can help Tennessee steal an elite recruit from Ohio State
I don’t expect Adidas to jump in all the time to help the Vols get a recruiting battle across the finish line, but it seems like they’re willing to go the extra mile for some big-time targets (outside of the Adidas NIL ambassador program).
And if that’s the case, then they could also help Tennessee swipe 2027 five-star EDGE DJ Jacobs from Ohio State.
Jacobs, who is from Georgia, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 recruit in the nation. He’s been committed to the Buckeyes since last December.
The coveted pass rusher, however, hasn’t shut down his recruitment just yet.
And Tennessee is among the programs that are hoping to flip him from Ohio State.
“Jacobs returned for his official visit during the weekend of June 12 and plans to visit for a few games this fall,” wrote On3’s Steve Wiltfong on Monday. “But he hasn’t completely shut his recruitment down. Miami will keep chipping away and Tennessee is doing the same.”
(Tennessee needs to get Jacobs to campus to have a real chance.)
If the Vols can give Jacobs something to think about, Adidas could certainly play the role of closer.
Jacobs, after all, signed a deal with Adidas earlier this summer (Ohio State is a Nike school).
Now, the one problem here is that Miami is also involved, and the Hurricanes are also an Adidas school. I don’t know how that would impact things with Adidas and Tennessee, but I could see it being a problem.
But if Jacobs gets to a spot where he’s down to Tennessee and Ohio State, then it’s reasonable to suggest that Adidas could help the Vols close the deal.
And man, can you imagine if Tennessee landed Gabriel Georges and Jacobs over Ohio State? That would be massive. Both of those players have top 10 NFL Draft talent. Landing those types of players is why Ohio State has been so good over the years. If Tennessee wants to get to the Buckeyes’ level, they have to find a way to land that type of talent.
There’s a window here where the Vols could actually make it happen, and Adidas could play a big role in it.