Georgia’s pursuit of David Gabriel Georges may have ended, but the way that recruitment played out only seems to sharpen the value of the five-star back already in the fold: Kemon Spell.
A month ago, Georgia was right in the mix for Gabriel Georges, with Ohio State, Tennessee and Ole Miss all in the hunt as well. He eventually canceled his official visit to Georgia and cut ties with UGA, a move that didn’t exactly send shockwaves through Athens because Georgia already had Spell committed in its class.
That made the whole situation easier to absorb from Georgia’s side. It would have been an awkward fit for Gabriel Georges to come in and try to share the spotlight with another five-star back when he was clearly looking for a featured role somewhere else.
Since moving on from Georgia, Gabriel Georges’ recruitment has only intensified. Tennessee and Ohio State have pulled ahead, and Tennessee was recently predicted to land his commitment later this week. That puts the Vols in position to add a major piece, but it also adds another layer to why Georgia should feel good about where it landed with Spell.
Gabriel Georges has become the center of the conversation for reasons that go well beyond his ranking. He is expected to sign an NIL deal worth more than $2 million for his freshman season alone, and the source material says that level of NIL focus would not fit Georgia’s culture.
His deal is also said to include major benefits for his family, mostly aimed at making it easier for them to attend his games. There are also rumors that Tennessee is offering them a private jet to fly them to all of his games.
The attention around his recruitment has been constant. Family members have spoken openly about his decision-making, and Gabriel Georges has shared DMs people sent him on social media. The whole process has been loud, public and full of drama.
That’s part of why Georgia’s situation looks so clean by comparison. Spell has kept things far more private. After decommitting from Penn State last year, little was known about where he was headed, and he kept his recruitment close to the vest before announcing for Georgia because he didn’t want all of the attention.
He also didn’t make his NIL situation a public spectacle. Unlike Gabriel Georges, nothing about Spell’s deal with Georgia has been made public.
And then there’s the simplest reason Georgia should feel good about Spell: he’s the better player. Spell is the No. 1 running back in the country, while Gabriel Georges is No. 2.
So while Tennessee may be closing in on a splashy addition, Georgia already has the back it wanted most. Sounds like Smart just found a way to beat Tennessee again.
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