Cornerback Rickey Gibson III is with Tennessee football as the Vols open up spring practice on Friday morning, a major development for Josh Heupel’s fifth team in Knoxville.
Gibson told On3 sports last month that he planned to enter the transfer portal when it opened this spring leaving it ambiguous on whether or not he’d go through spring practice in Knoxville. The junior cornerback could still enter the portal following spring practice but him remaining with the Vols for the time being is a significant development as Tennessee looks to bring him back.
An Alabama native, Gibson started all 12 of 13 games for Tennessee as a true sophomore a season ago and got better-and-better as the year went on. In his first season as a starter, Gibson 32 tackles, two tackles for loss, five pass break-ups, and one forced fumble.
Gibson earned a 74.4 grade from PFF in 636 snaps a season ago. Only seven returning Tennessee players earned grades higher than Gibson a season ago.
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“In all parts of the game,” Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy said of Gibson’s improvement last season. “He’s become way smarter, way more physical attacking the ball, making plays on the ball. Everything he does, I see him getting better in.”
McCoy, a reigning All-SEC selection, will miss the entirety of the offseason as he rehabs a torn ACL making Gibson all the more important this offseason. The Vols also lost backup cornerback Jordan Matthews to the transfer portal this offseason.
Senior cornerback Jalen McMurray is back after playing a major role as Tennessee’s third cornerback last season. Rising sophomore Kaleb Beasley is also back for another season.
