Texas football recruiting: Four-star Jerrick Gibson, No. 2 RB in Class of 2024, commits to Longhorns
During the 2023 NFL Draft, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian saw three of his cornerbacks selected, including two in the first round. That may be part of the reason four-star running back Jerrick Gibson announced his commitment to Sarkisian and the Longhorns on Saturday.
Gibson is rated the No. 39 overall player in the 2024 class by the 247Sports Composite, No. 87 in the Top247 and is the No. 2 running back in both rankings. The 5-foot-10, 200 pounder from Florida’s IMG Academy had offers from powerhouses like Georgia, Alabama, Miami, Florida and many others, but it was in Texas that he felt the deepest connection.
“[Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice] means a lot to me because we have a strong relationship,” Gibson told 247Sports. His work speaks for itself as well. You have Bijan going in the first round pick. I a ‘ thought his second running back [Roschon Johnson] he fell in the third round. Then he coached [Jahmyr] Gibbs at Georgia Tech. He’s a young coach as well and has a great track record at running back.”
Gibson is the sixth member of Texas’ 2024 class and the highest among the group. It is the second run to join the class, as four-star Christian Clark from Phoenix committed to the Horns earlier this week.
As for Gibson, Andrew Ivins of 247Sports compares him to former Georgia running back Sony Michel. Here is his investigative report:
The real deal. A youth football star who found success at various stops before settling into the RB1 role at the NFL factory that is IMG Academy. Explosive in almost everything he does and is quick enough to win his fair share of foot races out on the perimeter. Not one to go down at the first sign of contact and can usually get out of trouble with his quick feet and loose hips. A bit of a slasher that can stack cut after cut once he gets past the first wave of defenders. He tends to thrive in the outfield and make plays. It makes defenses pay when counters are called as well. He doesn’t get a ton of targets on Friday night, but he’s been a tough cover on the camp circuit because he uses a nice burst to shake defenders of all sizes. He has tested very well over the years and has a laser-timed 4.5-yard dash recorded to go along with a nearly 41-inch vertical jump. They will have to adjust to the daily demands of big-time Power Five football and learn some of the finer points of the position (how to pick up a late blitz), but should be seen as a background with play big ability because of his speed, vision and hands. He could feed in a number of different offensive systems, but his skill set may be better suited to today’s pro-style offense that wants to feed him. Sunday possible.
Texas finished the 2022 season with an 8-5 record and will play one more year in the Big 12 before joining the SEC for the 2024 season. And Gibson will be on the roster when he is.
