SEC Media Days officially kicked off on Monday afternoon, as the first wave of coaches and player representatives from Oklahoma , Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee spoke to the media, while nearly every coach had something to say about Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, who will take the podium on Wednesday.
Among Texas A&M's 17 transfer portal additions, former Tennessee cornerback Rickey Gibson III is by far one of the most important players on the roster after veteran starting cornerback Will Lee III was one of a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, going in the fourth round to the Carolina Panthers . After missing all but one game last season, Gibson is healthy and ready to compete for the No. 2 CB job alongside redshirt junior Dezz Ricks.
On Monday, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and Volunteers running back DeShaun Bishop, who rushed for an impressive 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns during his 2025 sophomore season, praised Gibson, echoing nearly every Tennessee fan and media member after the former starting cornerback departed for College Station back in early January.
Entering his redshirt junior season with the Aggies, Gibson recorded 32 tackles and three pass deflections during the 2024 season, and while missing an entire year may have some negative consequences, having fresh legs and spending more time watching film should pay off this season.
Losing any starter stings in today's chaotic college football landscape, and while the Aggies will host Tennessee in late November, Josh Heupel had nothing but praise for Gibson's on-field ability.
"He's smart, he's competitive and a really good football player."
Bishop followed up with his own praise, stating that, while he's going to miss his former teammate, Mike Elko gained one of the best overall players who's on track to become one of the Aggies top playmakers.
"I believe he's going to make tons of plays over there at Texas A&M."
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Tennessee HC, star RB praise Texas A&M transfer CB Rickey Gibson III
