How Tennessee football commit David Gabriel Georges is adapting to spotlight at Baylor

When Baylor hits the field, it’s running back David Gabriel Georges who takes center stage.

The five-star Tennessee football commit has turned heads throughout his senior season with size, speed and athleticism far beyond his years, producing one highlight play after another.

But Gabriel Georges is far from the only rock star on the Red Raiders roster. There’s Ole Miss QB commit Keegan Croucher, along with four-star recruits Antwuan “Cornbread” Adams, Braxton Rein and Xavier Bowman.

Like any good band though, there’s always a front man, and for the nationally-ranked Red Raiders (9-0, 4-0 DII-AAA Middle Region) that’s Gabriel Georges. He showed as much in front of a sold-out crowd at Ensworth on Oct. 23, rushing 17 times for 139 yards with two total touchdowns as Baylor claimed the DII-AAA East Region title with a 27-7 win over the Tigers (4-5, 2-2) in Week 10 of the TSSAA football season.

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Originally from Quebec, Canada, the star running back, better known as “DGG”, is still getting used to the spotlight. Around his teammates Gabriel Georges is described by coach Erik Kimrey as “bubbly,” but he’s still adapting to the social media-driven circus which has become synonymous with his success this season.

And despite Gabriel Georges' big night on Oct. 23, he was unavailable for comment after the game.

“David’s a little bit of a shy guy, he doesn’t really like a lot of media attention,” Kimrey said. “But he’s handling (the spotlight) beautifully. He’s a wonderful kid, super grounded. He works harder than anybody I’ve ever coached. I think he takes a lot of that and it just fuels him to get better.”

Baylor assistant Chris Curtis told The Tennessean following the win that Gabriel Georges would not be made available to media members. That didn’t stop scores of local kids from lining up outside the Baylor locker room postgame, scrambling for autographs and pouring over camera settings in hopes of snagging a photo with the future Tennessee football running back.

“At the end of the day, he’s an 18-year-old guy. He loves football and he’s great with his teammates and his friends, he’s just not a guy that loves to do a lot of interviews,” Kimrey said. “(Around the team) he’s super loose. He’s very bubbly. He’s playful. He’s got a great personality.”

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While off the field, Gabriel Georges is still acclimating to the media frenzy which follows him week-to-week, you won’t detect an ounce of discomfort as he weaves through defenses on the field. The two-time Mr. Football winner has totaled 127 carries for 1,154 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, along with 16 catches for 306 yards and three TDs.

“The first thing remembered about his legacy is going to be his character," Kimrey said. "He’s a wonderful teammate. He works very hard. He’s been a great example for our young players. Clearly he’s the best player in the history of our school. I’d say one of the best players in the history of the state. That will tell its own story in time, but right now we’re just hoping to enjoy these last hopefully four games with him.”

Harrison Campbell covers high school sports for The Daily Herald and The Tennessean. Email him at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Tennessee football commit David Gabriel Georges is adapting to spotlight at Baylor