The Tennessee Volunteers are coming off an underwhelming season to say the least considering the Vols went 8-5 after making the College Football Playoff. Losing Nico Iamaleava at the end of the Spring, and the drama that surrounded it certainly set the team back, and the year as a whole raised a ton of questions and debate about Josh Heupel. Heading into the 2026 college football season, Heupel is going to need to work to build back the excitement in Knoxville.
Winning on the field this season is most important, and as Tennessee still needs to find a starting quarterback, it'll take more than that. The good news for Josh Heupel is that Tennessee could bring excitement back on the recruiting trail.
Among the few 5-star recruits who have yet to commit to this point is elite 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges. While Ohio State led early, the Volunteers haven't gone away, and with the superstar talent committing on Wednesday, this recruitment is coming to a head.
On3's Pete Nakos predicts new leader in the David Gabriel Georges sweepstakes
Heading into David Gabriel Georges' commitment, there's been a ton of debate over who truly leads for the 5-star running back. On Monday Morning, On3's Pete Nakos logged an expert prediction for the Volunteers to land the 5-star recruit, flipping the momentum in Tennessee's favor as Rivals expert Steve Wiltfong previously predicted Ohio State would win out.
NEW: On3's @PeteNakos has logged an expert prediction for Tennessee to land Five-Star Plus+ RB David Gabriel Georges🍊
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 20, 2026
Intel: https://t.co/VR4PftGHJS pic.twitter.com/2aZxJMxXPw
The apparent shift in momentum is massive for Tennessee, especially after the Vols pushed for 5-star running back Savion Hiter last offseason, but failed to win out. Gabriel Georges is one of the most hyped running back recruits in recent memory, and he's the type of talent who could take Josh Heupel's offense to another level.
According to Rivals' Industry Recruiting Rankings, David Gabriel Georges is the 9th ranked player in the Country, the 2nd ranked running back in the class, and the top player out of Tennessee. The Quebec Native plays his High School Football at The Baylor School (TN) where he rushed for 1,726 yards and 27 touchdowns last season averaging nearly 11 yards per carry.
While Tennessee may lead for David Gabriel Georges, this recruitment isn't over yet, as Ohio State could certainly re-take the lead before Wednesday's announcement. Regardless of who's picked on Wednesday, neither team is going to give in until National Signing Day, and other schools could even enter the fray.
Josh Heupel picking up a commitment from David Gabriel Georges would be the perfect way to head into the Fall with a ton of buzz and excitement, and it appears that the Vols are just a few days away from making it a reality.
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