No. 4 RB prospect heavily linked to five major college football programs

Prince Avenue Christian junior RB Andrew Beard, one of our top 20 area football players, poses for a portrait at his high school. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Andrew Beard is a four-star running back out of Prince Avenue Christian (Bogart, Georgia) who is currently listed as the No. 4 RB prospect in the 2027 class by 247Sports.

He began his high school career at Lincoln County, where he earned all-region honors as a defensive back during his freshman season after recording 75 tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. He also contributed offensively, rushing for 275 yards and three touchdowns while adding 13 receptions for 100 yards and another score.

After transferring to Prince Avenue Christian, Beard exploded onto the national recruiting scene. During the 2024 season, he rushed for 1,937 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry. He also added 32 receptions for 525 yards and five touchdowns, earning MaxPreps Sophomore All-American honors.

Beard followed that up with a strong junior campaign in 2025, finishing with 155 carries for 1,260 yards (8.1 YPC) and 12 rushing touchdowns. As a receiver, he caught 29 passes for 435 yards (15.0 YPC) and five touchdowns, helping Prince Avenue Christian reach the Region 8-AA finals with an 8–4 record.

One of the top ball-carriers in the country, Beard has already collected more than 30 scholarship offers from programs across both the Power Four and Group of Six.

As his recruitment continues to heat up, recent reports indicate that five programs have emerged as frontrunners: Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, and Georgia, all of which are listed as “warm” in interest by 247Sports.

Andrew Beard, 2027 Prince Avenue Christian School running back in a drill during the 2025 Dabo Swinney Football Camp in Clemson, S.C. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama routinely develops feature backs into pro starters and award winners, giving Beard a clear blueprint to maximize his size, speed, and receiving-game upside while competing for championships. Alabama’s NIL collectives and week-in, week-out national spotlight also accelerate name recognition and pro evaluation more than most programs. 

Tennessee pairs SEC visibility with an offense that has leaned on high-usage running backs and a staff actively recruiting Georgia-area rushers. For Beard, Tennessee offers a near-term chance to be a featured, three-down back in front of NFL-caliber evaluators while staying regionally close to family and recruiting ties.

The Sooners, meanwhile, consistently generate big counting stats for skill players in high-powered schemes and broadcast windows. That situation can turbocharge Beard’s draft stock and highlight his pass-catching and explosiveness on a weekly, nationally televised basis.

With fewer incumbent blue-chip backs and a coaching staff that has built strong recruiting relationships with Peach-State prospects, Georgia Tech gives Beard a realistic plan for early playing time and an offense tailored to his multi-dimensional skill set.

Lastly, Georgia combines elite run-game pedigree with several notable advantages, such as proximity to family, deep relational recruiting ties, and an offense that consistently features physical, NFL-ready backs.

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