Ohio State’s push for five-star running back David Gabriel Georges is turning into one of the biggest recruiting swings of the cycle, and the price attached to it is eye-opening.
According to On3, Gabriel Georges is expected to come with at least a $1 million NIL tag for incoming compensation. If that number holds, it would be the most a running back has ever been paid straight out of high school. Even with that kind of figure floating around, Ohio State is still very much in the mix as it battles Tennessee for the 2027 prospect.
Gabriel Georges has been the Buckeyes’ most heavily pursued target in this class. The five-star back is ranked as the No. 2 running back recruit in the country, and Ohio State has spent significant time on him throughout the cycle. Tennessee is the main competition, and the Volunteers may be prepared to go higher financially, but Gabriel Georges appears to value the development and opportunity Ohio State can offer.
That matters, because Ryan Day has made it clear he prefers spending on proven production through the Transfer Portal rather than paying massive sums for high school recruits. He has loosened that stance somewhat this year, though, with Ohio State already deciding to pay multiple five-star players in this cycle.
There is still a limit on what the Buckeyes will go above, but the program has not been scared off by the reported number. That keeps Ohio State firmly in the hunt.
From the Buckeyes’ perspective, landing Gabriel Georges would be a major win. If he chooses Columbus, he would be the highest-profile running back prospect to commit to Ohio State out of high school since TreVeyon Henderson in 2021.
The pitch goes beyond money, too. Ohio State can offer a national championship opportunity, while Tennessee cannot point to that same kind of recent success. Gabriel Georges is scheduled to announce his decision in three weeks, which gives the Buckeyes time to keep making their case.
It remains a head-to-head fight between two programs with very different selling points. If Ohio State comes up short after investing so much time and so many resources into the recruitment, it would sting.
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