Tennessee added Michigan defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon as a transfer back in December. Now they’re expected to take in another transfer, this time from one of their biggest rivals in the SEC.
According to a report from 247Sports, former Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Deangelo Gibbs is expected to transfer to Tennessee and join the Vols this spring. Gibbs is already in the University of Tennessee’s online student directory.
Coming out of high school, Gibbs was rated as a four-star and was ranked as the No. 49 overall player and No. 4 safety in the 2017 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound athlete played for Grayson High School, the same high school current five-star Tennessee signee and offensive tackle Wanya Morris played at this past season.
Though Gibbs was used as a defensive back for the Bulldogs, it’s expected he’ll get a shot at wide receiver for the Vols once he’s on the roster. But that is still to be determined.
In two seasons with Georgia, Gibbs appeared in 13 total games, totaling 10 tackles. Gibbs never quite lived up to his billing as a defender at Georgia, and part of that had to do with off-field issues.
Gibbs was away from Georgia’s program due to a “medical issue” when the Bulldogs were preparing for their College Football Playoff run. He didn’t travel with the team when they played Georgia Tech, nor was he with the team when they faced Auburn in the SEC Championship Game last season.
This year, Gibbs wasn’t with Georgia as they prepared for their bowl game against Texas, and he wasn’t enrolled at UGA to start the spring semester either. Gibbs put his name in the NCAA transfer database just over a week ago.
Tennessee recruited Gibbs while he was in high school. The Vols’ previous coaching staff hosted him twice on unofficial visits in the fall of 2016, and he unofficially visited UT twice at the beginning of 2016 as well. But he ultimately signed with Georgia and enrolled early at UGA.
It’s expected Gibbs will have to sit out a year per NCAA transfer rules and won’t be eligible till the 2020 season.
A fresh start and a new position switch might just be what Gibbs needs. And it appears he’ll be getting that at Tennessee.
