Tennessee Football Running Back Target Commits to Rival School

The Tennessee Volunteers have missed on one of their top running back targets in the class of 2027, as this time around, they have missed on Prince Avenue Christian running back Andrew Beard from the state of Georgia.

Beard is a long-time target for the Tennessee Volunteers, and he is someone who brings a ton of talent when it comes to his vision, playmaking, and overall speed with the game. He isn't the biggest of the backs that the Vols have been looking for, but if they needed a big play in the receiving game or even the outside handoffs, he would have been the guy.

Beard ultimately committed to the Florida Gators after finalizing his top four days before announcing his commitment. The Vols and Gators were joined by Clemson (who made a great push for the running back out of the Peach State), and the Georgia Bulldogs (who were always in the picture due to their very close proximity to home).

The Gators will be getting a guy who works very hard and a player who has the chance to see the field very early in his career. His ability to bust down defenses is nearly unmatched in the state of Georgia, which is something that was monitored closely throughout his most recent season. In this season with his high school, Beard finished with 1,292 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He also finished with 450 receiving yards and five touchdowns when catching passes in 2025. He is bound to have another great season, which could push his ranking up even more from No. 105 (Rivals Composite).

For more information on what the Gators are getting, here is an evaluation from Andrew Ivins.

247Sports Evaluates Andrew Beard

-Creative running back with three-down upside that constantly finds yardage.
-Moves with a lower pad level and impressive balance at roughly 5-foot-10, 195 pounds.
-Patient out the gate as he follows his blocks and picks a lane before shifting into overdrive.
-Quick to identify cutback opportunities and has the agility to scoot around tacklers.
-Productive on screen calls, but projects as more than just a check-down option with his route acumen.
-Will break into the secondary with his initial burst, but isn’t going to win every foot race.
-Can power through his fair share of contact, but further physical development will only make him a much more effective inside runner.
-Should be viewed as a potential top dog for a College Football Playoff hopeful with his vision, hands and escapability.

The Vols will now turn their focus to other running backs, along with their top target in the whole class, David Gabriel-Georges.

Add us as a preferred source on Google