Standout Miami Columbus wide receiver Christopher Gibert received an offer from FIU, he confirmed to 305 Sports in early January. The senior wideout was a vital piece in the Explorers’ 8A Tri-County title run, racking up 25 catches for 342 yards and seven touchdowns in six games.
He added two touchdowns vs. Deerfield Beach in the finals, including the game-winning catch on a tough snag where his awareness to change direction to go towards QB Fernando Mendoza’s rollout helped them seal a 24-17 victory.
“I’m feeling good,” Gibert said on his recent offer. “Once I realized what happened it was shocking to me. [The offer] hit me at an unexpected time, I learned about it during class. It feels great to have my first offer. I feel relieved.”
In terms of a college major, he’s undecided. Gibert has been dealing with recruiting, school and COVID-19. However, he says he may want to be a chiropractor. So far, his recruiting process has been pretty difficult, with the pandemic taking away many opportunities to meet face to face with coaches. Also, the availability of scholarships is also pretty thin. These events have caused Gibert, a receiver with good size, speed and great hands, to go without a Division 1 offer until after his senior campaign.
Gibert is a two-time champion: a one-time state and one-time tri-county champion. He says, “Those events have taught me many lessons, not just football lessons, but also life lessons. When you feel you’re in a pressure moment: always be calm, always be composed, and never lose yourself in the moment.”
Gibert says his motivation to play football comes from himself. “Ever since I was eight years old I have wanted to play,” he said. “It was something I was born with. I wanted to get into this sport and if I was going to get into it I wanted to be good at it. I have always wanted to be the best. I’ve trained and trained to be the best I can be.”
And with a similar story in terms of being overlooked, Gibert looks at Minnesota Vikings wideout Adam Thielen as a source of inspiration. Thielen only had a $500 scholarship at a Division II program coming out of high school, and he didn’t let that limit his potential to put himself at the top.
Gibert looks to be another local recruit to make a big impact on the FIU football program. He has been impressed with the direction Butch Davis is taking the program.
