Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545007
4 8 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M S peed matters in recruiting. Schools that start building relationships with prospects early in the process often have an edge when it's time for that player to make up his mind. But just because a school gets off to a late start doesn't mean that it can't make up for lost time under the right circum- stances. Case in point: Penn State's pur- suit of consensus four-star South Caro- lina running back Aiden Gibson. On May 12, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Gibson, a standout at Woodruff (S.C.) High, announced that he had chosen the Nittany Lions over Louisville, North Carolina, South Carolina and Rutgers. The Lions hadn't extended an offer until late January, but once they got involved with him, their persistence made a strong impression. "When I got up there for my unofficial [visit], Penn State knew that they were a little late with the process," Gibson said. "But ever since they offered me, they worked their butt off. They recruited me so hard, and so I had to take that visit. That visit then ended up being the best visit I took." Gibson was acquainted with running backs coach Savon Huggins, who had tried to recruit him for Boston College prior to joining Penn State's staff. The two bonded well, and Gibson also had good conversations with offensive co- ordinator Taylor Mouser during his trip to State College. However, it may have been new head coach Matt Campbell who made the biggest impact that weekend. "I love Coach Campbell's vision and the culture he's building," Gibson said. "I know he's the kind of person I'm going to love playing for. Their offense and how they use their running backs fits me well, and I think we're going to have a chance in the next few years to compete for a national championship. "I feel really blessed for this opportu- nity and for them recruiting me hard and showing me why this was the best school for me." Last year, Gibson visited with Shane Beamer and his staff at South Carolina five times, leading many to speculate that the Gamecocks would ultimately be the team to beat for his signature. However, it was Rutgers that gave him the most to think about, with the Scarlet Knights' director of player development, Damiere Shaw, hoping to lure him to Piscataway. "Rutgers was definitely the other school," Gibson said. "If I had to drop a top two, it would have definitely been Rut- gers and Penn State. I love Coach Shaw, and they've been recruiting me hard for a while. Honestly, I got to know him deeper than probably any coach I've met. I also had a feeling for a while now that I wasn't going to stay close to home, so Rutgers is probably where I would have gone. But Penn State, as a whole, just fit me better." During his junior season, Gibson to- taled 205 carries for 1,611 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also had 387 yards on 24 receptions, adding 4 more scores. According to the Rivals Industry Rank- ing, which combines the grades from the three major recruiting websites, Gibson is the nation's No. 258 overall prospect and No. 17 running back, as well as the No. 6 player in South Carolina. Rivals' scouts have him listed No. 26 at his position and No. 7 in his home state. ■ Quick Courtship Elicits Pledge From Star Ball Carrier RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Gibson rushed for 1,611 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior at Woodruff (S.C.) High. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS COMMITMENT PROFILE AIDEN GIBSON Aiden Gibson is a cornerstone pros- pect for this cycle and a significant win for the program on several fronts. He's good at reading his blocks and runs with pace behind his offensive linemen. Woodruff High doesn't have a one-cut offense or a triple-option system in which the running back can simply hit the gas and run in a straight line once he gets the ball. As a result, Gibson has developed a keen sense of how to set up blocks, identify where the defense is attacking and bounce to open space. Those are critical skills that elite backs understand, and he has spent his high school career developing them. Gibson lacks the elite burst and top- end gear of an upper-tier prospect. Given his vision, power and contact balance, it's hardly a pressing concern, but comparing him to the ideal profile, there's one final gear that doesn't ap- pear to be there yet. It will be worth watching how much faster he gets as he develops physically at Penn State. Otherwise, there isn't much to nitpick in Gibson's game. He's an exception- ally well-rounded prospect who checks most of the boxes. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N