Former Texas Longhorns RB Transfer Jerrick Gibson Commits to Big Ten School

After two seasons in Austin, running back Jerrick Gibson has found a new landing spot through the transfer portal.

Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) runs for yards during the second half against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

On Sunday evening, the news broke that former Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson had committed to play for the Purdue Boilermakers. After two seasons in Austin, the sophomore from Gainesville, Florida, entered the portal midway through the 2025 season.

In 16 appearances with the Longhorns, Gibson totaled 529 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 115 carries. While he averaged over 4.6 yards per carry, the running back was inevitably pushed out of the Texas running back room with Quintrevion Wisner, Christian Clark, and CJ Baxter getting the majority of the carries.

After it became clear that Wisner would be the lead back for the Longhorns' offense, many expected Gibson to enter the portal. Heading into his third season at the collegiate level, the running back will now get a fresh start in the Big Ten.

A Coveted Prospect in His Recruiting Class

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Before spending two years with the Texas football program, Gibson was one of the more sought-after running back prospects coming out of high school. In fact, it's safe to say that the four-star running back could have gone to any program in the country.

Outside of the Longhorns, Gibson also received offers from schools such as Georgia, Florida, USC, Notre Dame, and Alabama.

Easy to see why new Texas RB commit Jerrick Gibson (@gibson_jerrick) was as highly coveted as he was.

Incredibly difficult to bring down, top end speed and shows off a nasty stiff arm on the first play. pic.twitter.com/zwgwh7Qp2C

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) June 24, 2023

Gibson was the starting running back at IMG Academy in both his junior and senior years. In that time, he totaled 1,348 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on just 210 carries. He also caught 10 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. Due to his elite speed and ability to break tackles, Gibson was eventually rated the No. 3 running back in the 2024 recruiting class.

Gibson's combination of power and speed were thought to be a match made in heaven for the Longhorns. At the high school level, he consistently broke off big runs against some of the better programs in the country. While Gibson wasn't exactly expected to start in his first year at Texas, many certainly expected the running back to have a bigger influence on Sarkisian's offense.

A Fresh Start for the Former Longhorn

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) reacts during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

After being buried on the Longhorns' depth chart in 2025, Gibson will get a fresh start in the Big Ten with the Boilermakers. While the running back couldn't get into a rhythm at Texas, there's certainly reason to believe that he could find success at Purdue.

Devin Mockobee, the Boilermaker's leading rusher for the past four years, won't be returning to the program for the 2026 season. With the running back position in question, the commitment from Gibson seems like a perfect fit for Purdue head coach Barry Odom and his staff.