Ole Miss is still in the mix for five-star 2027 running back David Gabriel Georges, but the Rebels would be pulling off a real surprise if they win this race.
Gabriel Georges has trimmed his list to three schools - Ole Miss, Tennessee and Ohio State - and the recruiting buzz has pointed more strongly toward the Vols and Buckeyes. The 6-foot, 205-pound back from Baylor School in Chattanooga is set to make his commitment public on July 22 at 4:30 p.m. CT on the CBS Sports College Football YouTube channel.
By the 247Sports Composite, Gabriel Georges is the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2027 class and the No. 2 running back. He’s one of 39 five-star players in the cycle, and one of just three still uncommitted.
The reason Ole Miss is viewed as the outsider is pretty straightforward: Tennessee and Ohio State have been the programs setting the pace for a while now. Gabriel Georges first burst onto the scene by winning Tennessee’s Mr. Football award as a sophomore at the Division II-AAA level, and that early momentum never really faded.
247Sports Tennessee recruiting reporter Ryan Callahan said the pull from Knoxville and Columbus has been there from the beginning.
"It has just sounded from the start like Tennessee and Ohio State were going to be two of the teams to beat throughout the process since the very early stages of his recruitment," Callahan said.
Tennessee has also had plenty of face time. Gabriel Georges has visited the Vols seven times, more than any other school. Callahan also noted that family members of Gabriel Georges are Ohio State fans, which has helped keep the Buckeyes firmly in the picture.
On the Ohio State side, 247Sports recruiting reporter Garrick Hodge said Buckeyes running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has built a strong bond with Gabriel Georges, even traveling to Canada to meet his family.
"I just think that Tennessee and Ohio State have always been near the top of David's wish list," Hodge said. "I think they've sort of separated themselves over the last six months, at least, but really a year going back. Ohio State's really always kind of been the leader in the race, and then Tennessee kind of charged this summer when they hosted him on an official visit."
Hodge doesn’t sound like someone expecting a Rebel surprise.
"Never say never in modern recruiting, but I would be pretty shocked if he picks the Rebels on Wednesday," Hodge said.
Ole Miss, though, does have some connections working in its favor. Recruiting reporter Kam Wicker pointed to new running backs coach Frank Wilson, along with ties to former Baylor teammates Shekai Mills-Knight and Keegan Croucher.
Mills-Knight, who is entering his sophomore season at Ole Miss, played with Gabriel Georges at Baylor, and Croucher is already committed to the Rebels in the 2027 class. Mills-Knight and Gabriel Georges are both from Canada.
"I think those two things, those relationships with those two guys, with Frank Wilson, with the staff in there, has put Ole Miss in a good spot to at least be in the back of Gabriel George's mind," Wicker said.
Gabriel Georges hasn’t shut the door on Ole Miss, but his own comments suggest the decision has narrowed. In an interview with On3’s Chris Low that published July 13, he described the process as a tough call.
"It’s hard. You feel this way, like you know, and then it’s sort of 50-50," Gabriel Georges said. "People will say the 22nd of July is far off, but honestly for me, it’s pretty close."
Low also reported that Tennessee’s offer is the biggest, at about $2 million per year for three years, while Ohio State’s is around $1 million annually.
Ole Miss has 22 commitments in its 2027 class, but none at running back. That same blank spot exists for Tennessee and Ohio State, so the Rebels don’t have a unique advantage there. The question now is whether those relationships in Oxford are enough to overcome what has looked for months like a two-team battle.
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