This is the article version of Jayden Gibson's YouTube interview from last week. If you'd like to watch the full version, *click here*.
The Miami Hurricanes have been in hot pursuit of 2022 West Orange (FL) 3-star WR Jayden Gibson for some time now, and WR coach Rob Likens has made clear that Gibson is a priority for him this cycle.
“Coach Likens, that’s my guy. We talk all the time,” Gibson said. “He was one of the first coaches of a big school to really reach out to me and be interested in me and be checking up on me after my games, telling me what’s up with my film. So that’s my guy. He’s talked to my mom, he’s talked to my dad, we’ve had good conversations.”
In addition to building a great bond with Likens, Gibson says he has multiple UM staffers coming after him, and the West Orange star has enjoyed the “all out” approach from the Hurricanes.
“The whole staff shows me love, that’s what I like about Miami,” Gibson said. “Just today after school, I was in a group chat, and it was the whole offensive staff chopping it up, saying what’s up to me, wishing me a good day. Today was SAT day at my school, and they were asking how the test went. I like how they come at me, I like how they approach me.”
As for what interests him about possibly joining the Miami program, Gibson points to the receiver production coming out of “The U” in the past, plus family connections to the South Florida area.
“Miami historically has had some really good wide receivers, that’s just something you really can’t ignore. Historically, they’ve just had some really good playmakers at my position, so obviously they’re doing something right,” Gibson said. “My mom’s from Miami, she went to Plantation. My grandpa lives in Fort Lauderdale, so I got people down there. I’m familiar with the area, I used to go down there and visit my grandpa in summers. So it’s just a nice place to be around. I feel like Miami gets a bad rep sometimes, but I like it, Miami’s beautiful. When I go down there, it’s nothing but good times.”
Gibson also sees multiple benefits of attending the university off the field as well, including the marketing potential in a big media market city like Miami. This comes following an NCAA announcement last April that the organization now supports a rule change allowing student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, so long as the college or university they attend does not pay them directly. However, the NCAA recently indefinitely pushed back its planned January 31st vote to update the rules that dictate how and when athletes are allowed to benefit from their publicity rights during their college careers, so the exact time when Gibson and others could potentially benefit from this rule change is still up in the air.
“Miami’s a place I can see myself definitely growing as a receiver and a place where I feel I can really grow my brand as well, because that’s important to me, the whole business aspect,” Gibson said. “I just can’t wait to see what’s going on at Miami and what happens with it.”
The Hurricanes’ main competition to land Gibson at this point is seemingly coming from the rival Florida Gators, and both Gibson’s father and uncle were part of the UF program in the past.
“My dad played at UF for a little bit. He wasn’t some great star or Hall of Famer or anything, I think he played there a year or two. Him and my uncle both played and then he moved on from football and went to go get a degree from UCF,” Gibson said. “It’s not like a ‘following in his footsteps’ type thing for me, it’d be more like a ‘doing it right’ type thing… So that’s always something that’s been in the back of my mind, I can put it on my back and make things right at the University of Florida how we were supposed to the first time.”
Although the Gators got their foot in the door with their family connection to Gibson, what really attracts him to potentially playing at Florida is their coaching staff.
“They have a great coaching staff, coach (Dan) Mullen is a really good offensive coach,” Gibson said. “Billy Gonzales is a really good receivers coach - I’ve seen the things he’s done with his receivers, Florida’s put some real good guys in the league in the past couple years. They’ve had a lot of All-SEC receivers, a lot of accolades. And then it’s Florida, so it’s always going to be something to consider – they’re one of the big universities down here, it’s a big SEC school, one of the biggest schools in the country.”
As a junior in 2020, Gibson recorded 32 catches for 744 yards and 9 TD’s for the Warriors. In terms of his game on the field, Gibson feels he is able to utilize his 6’6” 185-pound frame to be a true red zone threat in the painted area.
“Really it’s like ‘See ball, get ball’, honestly. It’s just like the thousands of reps you do in practice,” Gibson said. “I always pride myself in that I go hard, I work hard. It’s really like an earned confidence I have on the field, especially in that area. In all areas really, but especially in the red zone with my size and stature and skillset. That’s one of the things that I’m really proficient in, so when that ball’s in the air, it’s just ‘Go get it.’ That’s man-on-man, ain’t no help over the top, no nothing, just me and you out there on an island, and I’m going to win that. That’s just my mentality.”
In terms of other players he looks to emulate, which receiver does Gibson try and model his game after?
“If I had to pick some dudes out of the league, I’d have to say Davante Adams and Julio (Jones). Julio is just dominant on the field. It’s like an elegant dominance – he’s swift, but at the same time, he’s going to ‘Grown Man’ you. Davante Adams is the best route runner in the league, I don’t really think it’s much of an argument there. Those dudes, I just want to combine what they both have – be able to be as swift as Davante Adams, but play with the size and aggression that Julio Jones has.”
Gibson says he plans to have a decision in place ahead of his senior season.
The Miami Hurricanes have been in hot pursuit of 2022 West Orange (FL) 3-star WR Jayden Gibson for some time now, and WR coach Rob Likens has made clear that Gibson is a priority for him this cycle.
“Coach Likens, that’s my guy. We talk all the time,” Gibson said. “He was one of the first coaches of a big school to really reach out to me and be interested in me and be checking up on me after my games, telling me what’s up with my film. So that’s my guy. He’s talked to my mom, he’s talked to my dad, we’ve had good conversations.”
In addition to building a great bond with Likens, Gibson says he has multiple UM staffers coming after him, and the West Orange star has enjoyed the “all out” approach from the Hurricanes.
“The whole staff shows me love, that’s what I like about Miami,” Gibson said. “Just today after school, I was in a group chat, and it was the whole offensive staff chopping it up, saying what’s up to me, wishing me a good day. Today was SAT day at my school, and they were asking how the test went. I like how they come at me, I like how they approach me.”
As for what interests him about possibly joining the Miami program, Gibson points to the receiver production coming out of “The U” in the past, plus family connections to the South Florida area.
“Miami historically has had some really good wide receivers, that’s just something you really can’t ignore. Historically, they’ve just had some really good playmakers at my position, so obviously they’re doing something right,” Gibson said. “My mom’s from Miami, she went to Plantation. My grandpa lives in Fort Lauderdale, so I got people down there. I’m familiar with the area, I used to go down there and visit my grandpa in summers. So it’s just a nice place to be around. I feel like Miami gets a bad rep sometimes, but I like it, Miami’s beautiful. When I go down there, it’s nothing but good times.”
Gibson also sees multiple benefits of attending the university off the field as well, including the marketing potential in a big media market city like Miami. This comes following an NCAA announcement last April that the organization now supports a rule change allowing student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, so long as the college or university they attend does not pay them directly. However, the NCAA recently indefinitely pushed back its planned January 31st vote to update the rules that dictate how and when athletes are allowed to benefit from their publicity rights during their college careers, so the exact time when Gibson and others could potentially benefit from this rule change is still up in the air.
“Miami’s a place I can see myself definitely growing as a receiver and a place where I feel I can really grow my brand as well, because that’s important to me, the whole business aspect,” Gibson said. “I just can’t wait to see what’s going on at Miami and what happens with it.”
The Hurricanes’ main competition to land Gibson at this point is seemingly coming from the rival Florida Gators, and both Gibson’s father and uncle were part of the UF program in the past.
“My dad played at UF for a little bit. He wasn’t some great star or Hall of Famer or anything, I think he played there a year or two. Him and my uncle both played and then he moved on from football and went to go get a degree from UCF,” Gibson said. “It’s not like a ‘following in his footsteps’ type thing for me, it’d be more like a ‘doing it right’ type thing… So that’s always something that’s been in the back of my mind, I can put it on my back and make things right at the University of Florida how we were supposed to the first time.”
Although the Gators got their foot in the door with their family connection to Gibson, what really attracts him to potentially playing at Florida is their coaching staff.
“They have a great coaching staff, coach (Dan) Mullen is a really good offensive coach,” Gibson said. “Billy Gonzales is a really good receivers coach - I’ve seen the things he’s done with his receivers, Florida’s put some real good guys in the league in the past couple years. They’ve had a lot of All-SEC receivers, a lot of accolades. And then it’s Florida, so it’s always going to be something to consider – they’re one of the big universities down here, it’s a big SEC school, one of the biggest schools in the country.”
As a junior in 2020, Gibson recorded 32 catches for 744 yards and 9 TD’s for the Warriors. In terms of his game on the field, Gibson feels he is able to utilize his 6’6” 185-pound frame to be a true red zone threat in the painted area.
“Really it’s like ‘See ball, get ball’, honestly. It’s just like the thousands of reps you do in practice,” Gibson said. “I always pride myself in that I go hard, I work hard. It’s really like an earned confidence I have on the field, especially in that area. In all areas really, but especially in the red zone with my size and stature and skillset. That’s one of the things that I’m really proficient in, so when that ball’s in the air, it’s just ‘Go get it.’ That’s man-on-man, ain’t no help over the top, no nothing, just me and you out there on an island, and I’m going to win that. That’s just my mentality.”
In terms of other players he looks to emulate, which receiver does Gibson try and model his game after?
“If I had to pick some dudes out of the league, I’d have to say Davante Adams and Julio (Jones). Julio is just dominant on the field. It’s like an elegant dominance – he’s swift, but at the same time, he’s going to ‘Grown Man’ you. Davante Adams is the best route runner in the league, I don’t really think it’s much of an argument there. Those dudes, I just want to combine what they both have – be able to be as swift as Davante Adams, but play with the size and aggression that Julio Jones has.”
Gibson says he plans to have a decision in place ahead of his senior season.
