Hough (NC) three-star safety Gavin Gibson is down to Maryland and Virginia and was originally slated to announce his commitment on Thanksgiving, but pushed back his decision to officially visit Virginia for Thanksgiving weekend. It was the third visit to Charlottesville for the 5-foot-11, 175-pound safety, and despite the 29-24 loss to Virginia Tech, Gibson’s time on campus was well spent.
“I know they lost but it was still a gameday atmosphere, got to see all the coaches but it was still good,” he told Inside the Black and Gold. “I was able to talk to some of the defensive coaches. I was able to talk to the defensive coordinator, coach [Nick] Howell and coach [Shane] Hunter. We were able to talk some football after the game on Sunday, we just talked a little bit of ball, schemes, things like that so that was good.”
Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall spoke with Gibson about setting an upcoming in-home visit “but we haven’t set anything in stone yet,” he adds. The school that did have something set was Maryland as safeties coach Brian Stewart stopped through Gibson’s house on Monday.
“He just came and was honest about everything. We talked a little bit of ball, how they’d use me if I came and schemes and everything. Him and coming and talking to me, talking to my family was really good.” Maryland has just one safety in the fold with Lavain Scruggs but sees Gibson fitting in as a versatile piece. “We were just talking about how he’d use me. be more of a coverage guy, more of a man-on-man on the slot type of guy. Still come down and hit but if I need to play the zone, play the man, I can do that too.”
Now comes down to the tough part—deciding between the two schools. “I feel like both places, they’re building something special. Both can compete for a bowl game every year and potentially win their side of the conference and then win the whole conference. I feel like both programs are on the rise and can do that.”
But Gibson and his family will sift through both finalists as the three-star prospect adds clarity on his decision timeline. “I still don’t have a time that I’m going to decide but if I’m graduating early and I’m enrolling early, it’s going to be before the early signing day.” With the early signing period beginning on December 15, Gibson feels more at peace to make his decision now.
“Being able to take the official visit to both schools and seeing, analyzing how they’d use me and what I can do for them, just being able to compare and contrast both of those programs is good. Now since I’ve been able to go to both schools I’ll be able to make a good decision.”
Maryland will look to get the last word in as head coach Mike Locksley is expected to return with Stewart next week for another in-home visit.
Gibson is rated a three-star prospect and an 86 overall by 247Sports, sitting as the 26th-best prospect in North Carolina.