Torrance Gibson scouting report: Elite athlete

It seems as though everyone in the recruiting business has a different opinion when it comes to Torrance Gibson, but the bottom line is that he is an elite athlete who has the skill set to play multiple positions at Ohio State at a high level.

Whether he lines up behind center at quarterback in Urban Meyer's spread offense or they use his electronically timed 4.47 40-yard dash speed along with his long, lean 6'4, 207 pound body split out wide at receiver, Gibson will be a household name before his time is up in Columbus.

As noted, his body is built to play quarterback or receiver the day he steps on campus. He possesses elite athleticism and almost every athletic movement that he performs with the ball in his hands looks effortless. Gibson's does not have Braxton Miller's initial burst or short area quickness, but he is a smooth strider like Terrelle Pryor and has take-it-the-distance speed.

Most players his size (big wide receivers) usually possess only straight line speed but Gibson has great vision and lateral ability which makes his cuts look seamless, constantly making defenders run into each other or just look silly when trying to corral him. He is also deceptively strong and does not mind using a stiff arm to push away would be tacklers. Gibson has flexible ankles, knees and hips to boot that allow him to be smooth and fluid when running with the football. These athletic tools will allow Gibson to excel both as a quarterback and as a receiver.

When comparing his quarterback tape from last season to this season, it is apparent that Gibson has improved as a signal caller. His lefty release is sort of a slow windup (think Tim Tebow-ish) which could be worked on or improved when he steps on campus but his accuracy has improved since last season. He shows great arm strength on his deep balls with a lot of air under it, which allows his receiver to run under the ball and make a play.

Like most young quarterbacks, his accuracy is inconsistent on mid-range passes and it all starts with his footwork. Footwork is fixable, especially when he will have the benefit of working with Meyer and his staff, the same head coach who developed Alex Smith at Utah, Tebow at Florida and Braxton Miller at Ohio State. Tebow was known for his awkward release, but finished his career at Florida as one of the most accurate passers in SEC history.

One thing from high school that will benefit Gibson, if he plays quarterback, is that he played in a spread offense and they rolled him out a lot. He was asked to make throws on the run at American Heritage High School, which is something that he would be asked to do at Ohio State. Overall, Gibson will have to improve as a passer to be the starting quarterback at Ohio State, but if he does that, his extraordinary ability to improvise will make him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks to defend against in college football.

In conclusion, Gibson is a versatile athlete with the skillset to play quarterback or receiver at Ohio State. His size, mixed with his elite athleticism would allow him to transform into an NFL quality wide receiver and if he improves his footwork. The scary thing is that Gibson could step on the field right now in Columbus and be one of the best athletes on the field, but he still has an extremely high ceiling with untapped potential.

Even with the possibility of Braxton Miller to come back next season and J.T. Barrett having three more years of eligibility, Meyer will give him a chance to develop and show his worth at quarterback in camp next summer. The staff is creative enough to get the ball in his hands early, whether it be in a Wildcat type formation or split out wide, and I highly doubt that he will be redshirted next season. Regardless about what position he plays, Buckeye fans should be very excited about this commitment, because I guarantee the coaching staff is.