The Tennessee Vols appear to be out of the mix for a 2027 four-star running back that they were the leader for just a few months ago.

Back in January, On3’s Steve Wiltfong reported that Tennessee was the “early leader” for four-star running back Andrew Beard.

“Tennessee is the early leader for the No. 6 running back in the land Andrew Beard,” wrote Wiltfong.

Beard is scheduled to announce his commitment on May 8, but the decision is expected to come down to Florida and Clemson.

“Clemson and Florida have separated,” wrote On3’s Chad Simmons. “Clemson built the early momentum and has held it for much of the spring, but Florida has closed the gap. The Gators made a strong move after getting Beard on campus and have turned this into a tight battle heading into decision week.”

Why are the Tennessee Vols no longer a front-runner for four-star running back Andrew Beard?

The expectation is that Tennessee will sign two running backs during the 2027 recruiting cycle.

Tennessee’s top target is obviously five-star running back David Gabriel Georges, who is set to begin taking official visits later this month.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the Vols’ top competition for Gabriel Georges.

Tennessee is also making a “strong push” for 2027 three-star in-state running back Asa Barnes.

“Tennessee is pushing hard to land in-state running back target Asa Barnes, and we still like the Vols’ position,” noted Simmons last week.

Barnes, who is from Martin, TN, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 35 running back in the nation.

This may be a situation where Tennessee identified Barnes as a better fit than Beard. Either way, the Vols are still in a good position to land their top running back targets.