Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host
Tennessee got the news it had been waiting for on Wednesday as five-star running back David Gabriel-Georges announced his commitment to the Volunteers. The Baylor School standout chose Tennessee over a strong push from Ohio State, giving Josh Heupel and his staff one of the nation's premier recruits.
The ninth-ranked player overall in the class and the No. 2 running back prospect according to On3, Gabriel-Georges gives Tennessee something it has not had at the position in quite some time: a true blue-chip, bell-cow running back.
This is no shade toward the talent the Vols have had in the backfield in recent years. Dylan Sampson, Jaylen Wright, Eric Gray, and others were all extremely talented players, but none entered Tennessee as highly touted recruits as Gabriel-Georges.
Tiyon Evans was a highly regarded talent, but he arrived in Knoxville as a junior college product. Before Gabriel-Georges, the highest-rated high school running back prospect Josh Heupel had brought to Tennessee was four-star Peyton Lewis, who was ranked as the No. 13 running back in his class.
Not only is Gabriel-Georges highly touted, but he already looks the part of an SEC running back. At six feet tall and 205 pounds, Georges possesses the size, strength, and physicality needed to run through defenders and create plays at the next level.
Beyond what he brings on the field, Gabriel-Georges helps Tennessee continue to stockpile elite high school talent while beating out some of the nation's top programs in the process. Over the past two recruiting classes, the Vols have landed the No. 1-ranked edge rusher, the No. 9-ranked wide receiver, the No. 3-ranked offensive tackle, the No. 6-ranked defensive lineman, and the No. 5-ranked tight end.
Tennessee has gone toe-to-toe with elite programs like Ohio State and Georgia on the field in recent seasons but has struggled to come out on top. A major factor in those losses has been the talent gap. If Josh Heupel and his staff can continue recruiting at this level, the Vols can begin to close that gap and level the playing field with the nation's best.
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