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When Jordan Gibbs was 8, the towering yellow goalpost at the end of Longwood High School’s (New York) football field looked larger than ever. With his eyes set on the bottom of the post, Gibbs sprinted toward it, grabbing onto the base before using his legs to lift himself onto the inside bar.

Once up top, Gibbs looked at the opposite side of the field, dreaming of representing Longwood in a playoff game. Then, he saw his friends and family beside his longtime mentor and eventual Longwood football coach, Sean Kluber. Kluber, a former offensive lineman at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges, spent his life around athletes. Yet, Gibbs stood out.

“He was so athletic at that young age. As a kid, I knew he was a stellar athlete,” Kluber said. “He was always putting his (athleticism) on display.”

Gibbs’ athleticism and now-6-foot-2 frame propelled him to stardom on the gridiron, becoming a three-star cornerback and the No. 7 recruit in New York’s 2025 class, per 247Sports. This culminated in his commitment to Syracuse, where he’ll join a defensive backs room that lost Marcellus Barnes Jr., Clarence Lewis and Alijah Clark. Gibbs perfectly fits the mold SU head coach Fran Brown looks for in recruits, possessing elite size and speed — which Gibbs crafted while running track.

“It’s very rare to have someone that tall and lean to run as fast as he does. We’re talking about a legitimate 6-foot-2 player with the stride,” Kluber said. “He’s extremely athletic, and with coach Brown coaching him, the sky’s the limit.”

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While Gibbs grew into his body, he starred on both sides of the ball. As a junior in high school, he had his fingerprints all over Longwood’s win over No. 5 seed Commack in the 2023 Long Island Division I playoffs. Gibbs tallied 35 rushing yards on six carries. Defensively, he had three tackles alongside an interception to propel the No. 4 seed Lions’ victory.

However, it was the final time Gibbs guided Longwood to a win.

One week later, the Lions were eliminated by No. 1 William Floyd — which placed second in the tournament — 49-13. A year later, Gibbs missed his entire senior season with a meniscus tear.

Despite initially only dreaming of representing Longwood playing football, Gibbs started running track and field to maintain his speed for football season when he was 11.

The possibility of playing for a top college program motivated Gibbs to keep running, even when it felt secondary to football. At age 14, he started taking track more seriously, eventually qualifying for the National Championships in Florida.

“Since I did start from a young age, it definitely helped me get the knowledge of just being out there,” Gibbs said. “I was a very energetic kid growing up, so playing sports helped me get that energy out.”

Growing up, Gibbs played for the Longwood Youth Football Team. Though, due to his whimsical manner, Gibbs missed an entire season when he was 12 from falling out of a tree — a further explanation of his endless energy.

The injury let Gibbs explore 495 Long Island Elite Football, a more competitive squad known for increasing skill and gaining national attention.

In one season with the team, Gibbs was exposed to recruiting sponsors — 247Sports, Rivals and On3 — bolstering his opportunities. Following his time with 495 LI Elite Football, he returned to the track to prepare for his high school career.

“Football helped me with track power-wise. With sprinting, you don’t just want to stride, you need power,” Gibbs said. “The speed boost I get, having a good top speed so nobody’s catching me, it’s helped me keep my speed in football.”

Heading into high school football, Gibbs didn’t immediately star for the Lions. After two years on junior varsity, he was elevated to varsity. Gibbs recorded 39 carries for 346 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, he hauled in three receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he tallied 20 tackles and two interceptions.

“(Playing both) sides of the ball gave him that competitive edge. He was able to see football for both lights,” Kluber said. “He believed in himself more because we asked him to do more.”

Gibbs’ greatest showing came in his varsity debut and season opener on Sept. 8, 2023, against football powerhouse Lindenhurst. Helping the Lions to a 28-18 win, Gibbs recorded 200 all-purpose yards, rushing for an 81-yard touchdown while catching a 76-yard score.

When his football season ended, Gibbs immediately started track. His determination to improve in football was the motivation behind each race.

During his season, Gibbs placed fifth in the 55-meter dash with a 6.77 second time at the Section XI Boys Crossover B meet. He then improved his time to 6.71 seconds just 13 days later. On Feb. 3, 2024, Gibbs notched a personal record of 6.45 seconds — 55 days after his first meet.

“On the track, his constant growth from ninth grade to now proves his results,” Andrew Ferriolo, Gibbs’ track and field head coach and assistant defensive coordinator, said.

Gibbs also set a season record in the long jump at 19 feet, one inch, alongside personal records in the 100-meter dash (10.82 seconds) and 200-meter dash (22.01 seconds). As a result, Gibbs was ranked No. 8 in the top 10 New York high school football players by BVMSports. Gibbs also made Newsday’s top 100 high school football players entering 2024 due to his speed and sturdy frame.

With a packed offseason before his senior campaign, Gibbs was set to build off his versatile junior year. This time, following his commitment to SU on March 24, 2024, Gibbs planned to focus on his explosiveness on offense and specializing in strong safety and cornerback.

“It was always very simplistic. ‘Hey, let’s throw him a bubble (screen). Let’s throw him a (play-option pass). Let’s get him a screen pass,’” Kluber said. “Just to try and get him one-on-one with other athletes on the field because you knew his speed would win out.”

Despite Gibbs’ and Kluber’s plans, Gibbs underwent surgery before the season and didn’t play.

With Gibbs on the sideline, the Lions advanced past the first round in the D-I bracket before falling in the next.

Despite what felt like a “never-ending” season for Gibbs, he prepared himself for college, officially signing with Syracuse on Dec. 4, 2024. With months away from sports, Gibbs returned to the track, placing first in the 55-meter dash at the Molloy Stanner Games on Jan. 12.

“I saw him mature, realizing he’s so gifted but that gift could be gone at any moment. I saw him take that into account and start to cherish the gifts that he has,” Ferriolo said. “He realized his physical talent isn’t the only talent he has.”

As Gibbs’ high school football career concluded, he’s now primed to follow Omari Palmer (2013-16) — Longwood’s most recent football player sent to Syracuse — with hopes of boosting the Orange’s defensive backs room.

“(Learning) everything (coach Brown) knows will be the greatest step of my football career. I want to bring a lot of positivity and hard work to the team,” Gibbs said. “Hopefully, everybody has the same mindset as me and we can get a championship win.”

Published on January 22, 2025 at 11:27 pm

Contact: jordankimball28@gmail.com | @JordanKimball_