Warner Robins (Ga.) four-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson was one of Georgia’s top-of-the-board targets before he made an early commitment to USC in March.
His decision was a bit of a shocker given the distance from home and the relationships he had built with the Georgia staff. But USC’s new defensive staff, especially line coach Eric Henderson, made a major impression on him during his trip to L.A.
Ever since then though, Georgia and a number of others have remained in pursuit. Gibson himself has been on multiple campus visits to other programs, including Georgia. And he’ll be back in Athens this weekend for the Kirby Smart’s Scavenger Hunt event.
UGA recruiting insider Rusty Mansell believes it’s another chance for Georgia to show one of the Peach State’s best that he is a priority to them.
“They’re going to be all over him. And I think the comment he made this week to On3 was that when he committed to USC, the first person who reached out to him was Kirby Smart,” Mansell said Wednesday during the Inside Scoop recruiting show. “He didn’t pressure him, but he just said, ‘Look, we’re not going anywhere. We’re going to recruit you.’ So I think it’s a very big deal for Georgia to get him back unofficially. He’ll be back for a camp in June, and then he’ll have an official visit. So they’re going to get multiple shots at him, even before the season starts. They’ll get multiple shots before July to try to turn that recruitment.”
Georgia, South Carolina kick off the OV itinerary for Gibson
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Gibson will take multiple official visits this summer. He remains committed to the Trojans, but is keeping his options open.
“I would say I’m committed, but I’m not going to lower my options,” Gibson told On3’s Chad Simmons earlier this month. “I feel like you’ve got to keep your options open because anything can happen. You never know — a coaching staff might leave, a coaching staff might come. In college football, coaching staffs can change every year. That’s really the reason I’m keeping my options open.”
Gibson will officially visit UGA on May 31, just two weeks after his unofficial visit.
“With Georgia, it’s the relationships that I have with Georgia,” Gibson said. “Coach Diribe, Coach Scott and Coach Smart — I have a relationship with the whole team, with the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator. I have, like, everybody — Coach Schumann — we all have a really tight relationship. And I admire relationships in my recruitment, for sure. The overall way that coach Smart runs the program, I feel like is amazing. it’s remarkable, honestly.”