Tennessee’s latest recruiting win has already sparked a bigger conversation than just one player. Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges is headed to Knoxville, and on “The Volunteer State,” Adam Sparks and John Adams spent plenty of time on what that could mean for the Vols - and on how Ohio State is handling the loss.
Gabriel Georges drew the kind of attention that comes with a blue-chip label, but the podcast dug into something more specific: what kind of player he might become at Tennessee in 2027. Sparks and Adams compared him to some of the best backs to wear orange, including Jamal Lewis and Chuck Webb, and Adams said he broke his own rule by watching the highlight tape.
What he saw left an impression.
Sparks pointed to Gabriel Georges’ 435-yard, seven-TD performance against McCallie in the state semifinal and said it’s difficult to find flaws in that kind of showing. The two agreed Tennessee fans have every reason to be excited, especially because the Baylor School standout has the size and skill set to make an immediate impact as a freshman in 2027.
Still, they also put the five-star tag in perspective. A lofty ranking doesn’t guarantee an All-SEC career or a future in the NFL. Tennessee’s five-star running backs in the 2000s included Bryce Brown, Gerald Riggs, Jabari Davis, Cedric Houston and Derrick Tinsley.
The conversation drifted to the older names that still carry weight around Knoxville. Sparks and Adams spent more time on Chuck Webb, Travis Henry and Jamal Lewis, players who came before recruiting services were widely used but who could have fit the five-star mold. Adams was especially high on Webb.
"All those guys panned out," Adams said. "I still think Chuck Webb is Tennessee's all-time best running back.
His career was cut short by a horrible injury. But I think he could've won the Heisman if he hadn't been injured."
The podcast also looked at how Josh Heupel has handled elite recruits during his time at Tennessee. The Vols have produced a productive ground game with Jabari Small, Jaylen Wright, Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop, but all four arrived as three-star recruits. That makes Gabriel Georges a different kind of test for Heupel’s offense.
Sparks ran through Heupel’s five-star haul at Tennessee, and the results have been mixed. Faizon Brandon and TK Keys have not played yet as incoming freshmen.
David Sanders has already made his mark with Freshman All-American honors in 2025 and preseason All-SEC recognition for 2026. Jordan Ross showed promise before transferring to LSU in 2026.
Mike Matthews has put together a solid run, including 813 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, while Nico Iamaleava started for a playoff team in 2024 before transferring to UCLA in 2025.
The most successful five-star recruit to play for Heupel at Tennessee, Sparks noted, was actually offensive tackle Darnell Wright, who was signed by Jeremy Pruitt. Wright became All-SEC and a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears.
Another major topic from the episode was the quarterback race, which is drawing plenty of outside opinions before preseason practice begins Aug. 5.
At SEC media days in Tampa, Sparks said reporters around the league seemed to assume five-star freshman Faizon Brandon will beat out redshirt freshman George MacIntyre. That view has even shown up on the SEC Network set.
The question, of course, is why.
Heupel’s comments suggested he may be open to a different approach than the one many expected. Sparks said the coach sounded willing to name a starter and still revisit the decision once the season begins, something Tennessee has already seen with Joe Milton and Hendon Hooker in 2021.
“Well, we’ve had it play out a lot of different ways," Heupel told Sparks. "...
You name that guy. You give him those reps.
But then he’s got to prove it on the field (in games), as well.”
Sparks and Adams also broke down how the battle between Brandon and MacIntyre could unfold in preseason camp and early in the 2026 season, and they reacted to Tennessee’s spot in the SEC preseason poll.
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