Cliffs Notes: The Longhorns picked up its second running back commitment in less than a week on Saturday as, Bradenton (Florida) IMG Academy running back Jerrick Gibson committed to the Longhorns after a long stretch of time where the zLonghorns have been his no-doubt-about-it leader.
Rankings: Here's the industry breakdown...
Rivals: (5.9) Mid 4 star, No.60 overall nationally, No.11 in Florida
ESPN: (84) HIgh 4 star, No.29 overall nationally, No.5 in Florida
On3: (95) Mid four-star, No.43 overall nationally, No.6 in Florida
247: (93) Low 4 star, No.87 overall nationally, No.16 in Florida
247 composite: (.9796) HIgh 4 star, No.39 overall nationally, No.6 in Florida
Notable offers: Georgia (6/2 OV), Miami (6/9 OV), Tennessee (6/16 OV), Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, TExas A&M and USC.
Evaluation: There's a lot to like about the 5-11, 207-pound running back who sort of specialized in running through arm tackles between the tackles. Although he's at his best when running north/south between the tackles, Gibson has the ability to make guys miss in a phone booth and in open space, especially when opposing defenses show any kind if timid approach towards tackling him. He's not going to blow you away with game-changing speed or athleticism, but he follows blocking well and remains a dangerous thread when he gets to the second level of a defense. More than anything, we're talking about a rock solid running back that has the upside to be a starter at the next level, but won't be as flashy as some of the competition he'll face for game reps.
Rivals Evaluation From Last Season: "Jerrick Gibson is electric. He had two big TD runs against Venice the week before and found ways against the Rockets to make something out of nothing. His second effort, balance, and strength through arm tackles racks up yards and moves the chains. After Gibson got IMG on the board with a 1-yard run late in the second quarter, Tennessee tight end/defensive end commit Jonathan Echols had two big plays on the same drive that included a 40-yard TD reception"
Why it matters: The Longhorns have eyed taking two running backs in the class for months and with the commitment of Gibson, the Longhorns have landed the top two guys on their priority list. We can quibble over whether the Longhorns should have targeted different players, but make no mistake about, Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice got the two he wanted.
Expectations: Gibson will hit campus at a time when the Longhorns are scheduled to have Jonathan Brooks, Jaydan Blue, Savion Red, CJ Baxter, Tre Wisner and fellow freshman Christian Clark on campus to compete for snaps. Therefore, I'm not sure that I'm expecting a first-year impact unless some of the numbers among those other six players gives way a little. Maybe the best plan is that he'll be ready to make a strong contribution in year twos and three, during both the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Math: 53.4% of the five-star running backs the state of Florida has produced since 2002 have gone on to become NFL drafted players, while 14.3% of high four-star running backs and 25.0% of mid four-star running backs from Florida went on to become NFL drafted players in the same time frame.
Must See: Junior highlights.
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