Penn State outlasts four Power Four programs for 4-star running back

Penn State football has yet to land a Class of 2027 running back. On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions were told they won't have to wait any longer.

The No. 8 overall recruiting class in the country added four-star running back Aiden Gibson to the mix. Penn State beat out Rutgers, North Carolina, Louisville, and South Carolina for the Class of 2027 recruit.

One week ago on Tuesday, May 5, Tyler Calvruso of 247Sports logged an expert prediction that favored the Nittany Lions. Before Calvaruso, national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn also submitted his prediction for Penn State. Late on May 12, Gibson made his decision live on CBS Sports College Football YouTube that aligned with what the experts thought.

According to 247Sports, the Scarlet Knights were the first runner-up with the Gamecocks putting together and enticing pitch as well.

Gibson is the No. 22 running back in the country and No. 322 recruit nationally, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. The South Carolina native is also ranked eighth overall from his state.

Four-star running back Aiden Gibson commits to Penn State over South Carolina, North Carolina,

Winning a recruitment battle against the Gamecocks is huge for the Nittany Lions. The SEC tends to come out on top for recruits in the Southeast and South in general, especially when up against schools closer North, like Penn State. Beating out the SEC and a program with a home state advantage is something the Nittany Lions should celebrate.

"It's not that South Carolina can't develop me and they have great coaches and I've built strong relationships with them, but I love Penn State's plan for me," Gibson told 247Sports. "And at Penn State, I won't have to be worried about any distractions at home."

In 2025, Gibson finished the 11-game season with 205 carries for 1,611 yards and 21 touchdowns. He caught 24 passes for 387 yards and four scores as well.

Leading up to his decision, Gibson only took an unofficial visit to Penn State. This was back in early April for a spring practice visit. He will return to Happy Valley for a June 12 official visit. Gibson shared that he's excited to be back for a game day visit in the fall as well.

"I'm committing to Penn State because offensively, they have talked about how they can use me in so many different ways," Gibson told 247Sports. "I can get involved in outside zone, inside zone, catching screens, different route trees. How the offensive coordinator [Taylor Mouser] will use me is a big deal in my decision. 

Gibson also pointed out running backs coach Savon Huggins and the culture head coach Matt Campbell is building at State College. He added that he's excited to work with the offensive line at Penn State.

He became the first running back in Campbell's Class of 2027 and the fourth skill player for Penn State. Four-star wide receiver Landon Blum, four-star tight end Cooper Terwilliger, and three-star wide receiver Jamir Dean are the other pass catchers committed to the Nittany Lions as of Tuesday. While the Nittany Lions have a second wideout committed right now, a different SEC threat, Georgia, is working on stripping Dean away from Penn State.

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