The buzz around David Gabriel Georges is only getting louder, and it’s easy to see why Tennessee has itself a five-star running back with serious early-impact potential.
The Baylor School star already flashed the kind of big-play juice that gets people talking when he ripped off a highlight-reel touchdown on his first carry in a scrimmage against powerhouse Buford (GA). But the run that really stands out isn’t the score. It’s the one that showed a different side of his game.
On a carry against Buford, Gabriel Georges looked like he was going nowhere at the line of scrimmage. Instead of getting swallowed up, he kept driving and powered his way for about 15 yards, turning what looked like a loss into a first down.
That’s the kind of play that matters when the competition gets tighter. The explosive runs will always be part of his profile, but in the SEC, there are times when the best thing a back can do is keep the chains moving and stay on his feet when the defense is stacked against him.
DGG carrying a whole team almost 15 yards.
Most explosive running back in the country. pic.twitter.com/LnbrAHk5sc
- Patrick MacCoon (@PMacCoon) August 8, 2026
The physical tools are obvious. What makes Gabriel Georges even more intriguing is the praise he gets for everything around the talent. Baylor coach Eric Westmoreland called him “genuine” and pointed to the way he approaches the game and takes care of himself.
“He’s just genuine,” VFL and Baylor School coach Eric Westmoreland said. “He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around when it comes to just football mentality and things like that.
How he eats, how he takes care of his body. You don’t see too many high school kids that do it the way he does.”
That blend of production, strength and speed is why the expectation is so high for his senior season and beyond. According to 247 Composite, Gabriel Georges is the No. 10 player in the class, the No. 2 running back and the top player from Tennessee. He was born in Quebec, and he now lives in Chattanooga, where he suits up for Baylor School.
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For Vols fans, it is the kind of small but notable moment that will always carry extra weight around Knoxville, where Peyton Manning remains a defining figure in program history. Baylor School came out on the short end of a 20-13 result, but the bigger storyline was simply seeing a new Manning take his first varsity snaps in a setting that felt a little bigger than a typical preseason tune-up. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Lost A Key Linebacker And The Staff Is Fuming
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The timing makes it sting even more for a defense that wanted Carter available right away, and now Tennessee will have to open without one of its key linebackers. The suspension keeps him out of the first two games, including matchups against Furman and Georgia Tech, leaving the Vols to shuffle their plans while they wait for one of their more important defenders to return. [Read more 🡒]