Former East Carolina defensive back Gavin Gibson is transferring to North Carolina, he told Tar Heel Illustrated on Monday morning.
Gibson was at UNC on Saturday and Sunday visiting with new Tar Heels Coach Bill Belichick, his son Steve, who is the defensive coordinator, and a few other members of the staff. Their vision on how they would use Gibson was a big selling point to the class of 2021 graduate of Hough High School in Cornelius, NC.
“Being able to be in a defense where I could use all my versatility and play under Bill,” Gibson told THI when asked what was the deciding factor.
And that versatility is what the new staff likes so much about Gibson, who started his career at Maryland.
“They said they like me because I’m a guy that can do a lot of things,” he told THI. “I’m not a guy they can just stick in a box and use me one dimensionally. They said I’m a very versatile player.
“Bill Belichick himself I’m a very good versatile player and I will be able to do a lot of things; playing safety, playing linebacker, playing off the edge of the defense, or playing both corner positions. He can see me playing 7 out of the 11 positions on defense.”
With all of that, it was important to Gibson he’s more than filling a need. Being wanted was another key part of the equation.
“I’d never met Coach Belichick, obviously, but he just came in, inserted himself into the conversation and started talking ball,” Gibson said. “And that just really clarified everything for me that I’m somebody they actually want on their team, not somebody they want to come fill a spot on the team. They want me to be a leader and be able to change the culture around for this program.”
Gibson told THI he was considering only UNC and returning to ECU, where the coaching staff was recruiting as a portal target. Gibson has one year of eligibility remaining.
Some notes on Gibson:
*6-feet, 185 pounds
*Spent this past season at ECU playing 630 snaps, was in on 48 tackles, had 2 sacks, 1 QB hit, 3 hurries, 8 missed tackles, 23 STOPs, was targeted 52 times allowing 37 catches for 331 yards and 2 TDs, had 3 INTs. *Physical player who lined up 179 times in the box this season, 49 times at the line of scrimmage. *Played two seasons at Maryland as a reserve logging 197 snaps in 2022 and 118 in 2023 *Career numbers are 945 snaps, 2 sacks, 1 hit, 4 hurries, 84 tackles, 11 missed tackles, 36 STOPs, 82 targets allowing 58 catches for 544 yards, 2 TDs, with 3 INTs, and 5 PBUs.
