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Tennessee CB Rickey Gibson III uses NIL money to give back to high school
Tennessee’s Rickey Gibson. Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee CB Rickey Gibson III uses NIL money to give back to high school

There seems to be a prevailing thought in the college football community that NIL has gone too far.

Some players are getting millions of dollars via NIL collaboratives before they've even stepped foot on campus. Others receive an NIL package and don't even stick around long enough to get paid due to the transfer portal. That's not even to mention the recruiting trail, where millions are being thrown around to land top players.

It has been like the wild west, but not everything about the NIL and transfer portal era is bad.

There have been instances of players taking their NIL money and doing good with it. That is the case with Tennessee cornerback Rickey Gibson III, who has taken his NIL package and given back to the high school that helped him become a college football player.

From Trussville, Alabama, Gibson recently presented a check worth $5,000 to his alma mater. He also met with players on the football team before presenting the check, so he gave back to the community that raised him in more ways than one. Money is great, but connection is sometimes even better.

Gibson III was a four-star recruit in the class of 2023 who was ranked as the No. 31 cornerback in the nation. He committed to Tennessee out of high school, and he's now entering his junior season with the Volunteers.

He had decided to hit the transfer portal after 2024 but ultimately stayed at Tennessee. He was a starter for the Vols in 2024 and finished with 32 tackles, including two tackles for loss, and five pass breakups.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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