Rutgers is adding a major piece to its backfield, and it’s coming by way of a flip from a Big Ten rival.
Four-star running back Aiden Gibson has switched his commitment from Penn State to Rutgers, according to multiple reports. Gibson will enroll at Rutgers immediately and is set to join the team for the 2026 season.
The move also changes the timeline on his recruitment. Gibson had been ranked as the No. 8 running back and No. 142 overall prospect in the 2027 class, but he will now reclassify and arrive right away. That would have made him Rutgers’ highest-ranked 2027 recruit, but instead he gives the Scarlet Knights another highly rated addition for the upcoming season.
Rutgers had been involved with Gibson early, with the running back taking multiple visits to campus before eventually committing to Penn State after a late push. That decision didn’t stick, and he now lands in Piscataway.
Gibson comes from South Carolina and joins a Rutgers program that has continued to send running backs to the NFL in recent years. The names may have changed since the days of Ray Rice and Brian Leonard, but the pipeline has remained active.
Isiah Pacheco and Kyle Monangai both moved on after long runs as starters at Rutgers and were drafted. Antwan Raymond is next in the line of backs to watch after rushing for 1,241 yards last season. He returns in 2026 to lead the depth chart and could be the next Rutgers runner to hear his name called.
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