Four-star RB Aiden Gibson on Penn State commitment: 'I love Coach Campbell's vision and the culture he's building'

Penn State has officially added four-star running back Aiden Gibson to its 2027 recruiting class.

A 6-foot-1, 215-pound back from Woodruff, S.C., Gibson announced his choice Tuesday evening after narrowing his list to Penn State, Louisville, North Carolina, Rutgers and South Carolina.

“When I got up there for my unofficial [visit], Penn State knew that they were a little late with the process,” said Gibson, who was offered by the Nittany Lions in late January. “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, who was previously recruited by Savon Huggins at Boston College, said he bonded well with Huggins and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser during that trip. However, it may have been Penn State’s new head coach who left the strongest impression that weekend.

“I love Coach [Matt] Campbell’s vision and the culture he’s building,” he 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 the chance in the next few years to compete for a national championship. So, I feel really blessed for this opportunity and for them recruiting me hard and showing me why this was the best school for me.”

Link: Safety Knyair Crumb remains key Penn State target ahead of in-home visit

Throughout 2025, Gibson visited with Shane Beamer and his staff at South Carolina five times, leading many to believe that the Gamecocks would ultimately be the team to beat. However, it was actually Rutgers that pushed Penn State the most.

“Rutgers was definitely the other school. If I had to drop a top two, it would’ve definitely been Rutgers and Penn State. I love Coach [Damiere] 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, and so Rutgers is probably where I would’ve gone.

“But Penn State, as a whole, just fit me better.”

During his junior season, Gibson totaled 205 carries for 1,611 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns for Woodruff. He also had 387 yards receiving on 24 receptions, adding four more scores.

According to the Industry Rankings, which combines Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN for a cumulative grade, Gibson is ranked No. 258 nationally. He’s also the 17th-ranked running back and No. 6 overall in South Carolina for the 2027 recruiting class.

Gibson is now the 16th player to join Penn State’s class and the fifth four-star, according to the Industry Rankings, which is what Rivals uses to determine the overall team rankings.