Jerrick Gibson Continues Recruitment With "Dream School" Florida Gators
The Florida Gators' 2024 recruiting class has yet to receive a commitment since Billy Napier and his staff took over but that’s not to say that they aren’t recruiting that class with the same energy and effort as the 2023 class. One of the prospects that has been getting the all-in approach is former Florida commit and IMG Academy running back Jerrick Gibson.
Gibson originally backed off his Gators commitment in mid-February after the staff turnover and not hearing much from the new coaches at the time in Gainesville. Well, that's changed recently as Gibson has become a priority for the Gators. But, the RB has also been hearing from schools all over the country since reopening his recruitment.
“Georgia has stuck out to me; Texas has stuck out to me even though I really haven’t gotten to visit Texas but they're recruiting me hard," Gibson told AllGators last week. "In Georgia, I love the facilities and the coaches. They are very genuine.”
While Gibson is currently enrolled at IMG Academy he is originally from Gainesville (Fla.) and grew up wanting to play in the Swamp. Florida is still a school he’s strongly considering because of that.
“I mean, it is home. It’s still my dream school growing up as a kid so of course you still going to be in it.”
Gibson is arguably the top running back in the 2024 recruiting class and says that he has been hearing from “all” of Florida’s staff. With that being said, the Florida coaching staff has paid close attention to Gibson’s skill set and fit in Billy Napier’s offense and have told him exactly what they like about his game.
“They are telling me they like how I can change directions, my speed, the leader I am on the field and how I carry myself.”
Having already made one commitment so early in the process Gibson doesn’t seem like he’s in any rush to pull himself back off the market. He told AllGators that going on these visits, talking to coaches, and just going through the recruiting process has taught him an important lesson.
“I've learned that you’ve got to take it slow. Go through the process first, learn all the information you need to learn, and, at the end of the day, choose the best decision for you and for your family so you can make it to the next level.”
Gibson has been active during the spring taking trips to Florida, Florida State, Auburn, and Georgia but said he still has a number of schools he wants to visit in the future. Including a return trip to Gainesville.
“I’ll probably get back up to Florida in the summer. [I want to visit] Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon, and Alabama.”
While there is still plenty of time left until Gibson has to make a final decision, he knows exactly what he’s looking for in the program he ultimately decides to commit to.
“I'm looking for a family-oriented school. Somebody that's going to actually care for me, care for my body, care for my mental health. Not only for football, more than football, building a relationship, and trust.”
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