His outstanding performance on the field caught the attention of prestigious college football programs across the country.
A dynamic player who transferred to the University of Alabama from Georgia Tech, he achieved the second-highest number of receptions by a running back in a single season for the Crimson Tide, with 44. He was recognized as a second team All-American in the all-purpose position by USA Today, and also received third team All-American honors from the Associated Press in the same position. Additionally, he earned second team All-SEC recognition as a running back and all-purpose player from both the AP and the league coaches. He ranked third in the SEC and 20th among Division I running backs with an average of 6.1 yards per carry. With a team-high 151 carries, he amassed 926 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, placing him seventh in the SEC. He also led the team with 44 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he returned 13 kickoffs for 258 yards, with a longest return of 57 yards.
He excelled in all-purpose yards, ranking third in the SEC and 21st nationally with a total of 1,628.
He was a finalist for the Hornung Award and named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, which is presented to the top player in college football each year.
The Sporting News and the AP recognized him as a midseason All-American, and he was included in the watch list for the Maxwell Award and the Hornung Award. Before the season, he received preseason first team All-America honors as an athlete from TSN, as well as preseason second team All-American recognition as an all-purpose player by the AP. Pro Football Focus named him an honorable mention preseason All-American as both a running back and kick returner. He was named to the Hornung Award Honor Roll for his performances against Texas and Texas A&M. He was also named the Doak Walker Award's National Running Back of the Week following the game against Arkansas, and received SEC Offensive Player of the Week recognition for his efforts in Fayetteville.
Throughout the season, the UA coaching staff selected him as one of the offensive players of the week for his performances against ULM, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and LSU. In the game against Utah State, he led all running backs with nine carries for 93 yards and also made one reception for five yards. Against Texas, he contributed as both a receiver and a runner, leading the team with nine receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing nine times for 22 yards.
In the game against ULM, he accumulated 158 all-purpose yards, including 65 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches, as well as 36 rushing yards and 57 yards on one kickoff return. Against Vanderbilt, he proved difficult to tackle, gaining 40 yards after the catch on three receptions, and adding 21 rushing yards on three carries. In the game against Arkansas, he rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and caught two passes for 29 yards. His long runs of 72 and 76 yards accounted for both of his touchdowns, and he averaged 11.4 yards per carry in the game. His yards per carry average was the second-best in Alabama history for a single game, and his total yards tied for 15th in the program's single-game records.
Against Texas A&M, he carried the ball 21 times for 154 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and also made three receptions for 13 yards, along with one kickoff return for a gain of 19 yards.
In the game against Tennessee, he contributed 203 all-purpose yards, including 103 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, as well as 48 receiving yards on five catches and 52 yards on three kickoff returns.
During his time at Georgia Tech, Jahmyr Gibbs showcased his exceptional skills as a running back, averaging an impressive 5.2 yards per carry and scoring eight touchdowns across 19 career games. His outstanding performance led to multiple accolades, including being named to the 2021 All-ACC Team in three different positions. As an all-purpose back, he received the prestigious First Team All-ACC recognition, while also earning second-team honors as a specialist and third-team recognition as a running back. Notably, Gibbs accumulated a total of 1,805 yards during his sophomore season, which stands as the second-highest single-season total in Georgia Tech history. He rushed for 746 yards on 143 carries, finding the end zone four times, and added 470 receiving yards with two touchdowns on 36 receptions.
Additionally, Gibbs contributed significantly in the return game, recording 23 kickoff returns for 589 yards and a touchdown in 2021. In his freshman year, he showcased his talent by rushing for 460 yards and four touchdowns on 89 carries, while also contributing 303 receiving yards and three scores on 24 receptions. Gibbs' remarkable performances earned him recognition as a second-team freshman All-American by The Athletic, along with Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2020.
Jahmyr’s career at Georgia came to an end with his transfer to Alabama in 2022. Gibbs states, “I think it was the best opportunity for me to better myself. No knock on my old teammates, I love them, still talk to them every day, they're a great group of guys, but I made the best decision for me.
Jahmyr began his college career at Georgia Tech University, where he was limited to playing in just 7 of Georgia Tech’s 10 games due to injury. Despite this holdback, on the very first play of his collegiate career, Gibbs returned the opening kickoff 75 yards to the UCF 21-yard line. He finished the game with 219 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Week. Gibbs scored at least one touchdown and five total touchdowns in his first three collegiate games. He finished the season with 89 carries for 460 yards and four touchdowns, 24 receptions for 303 yards and three touchdowns, and eight kickoff returns for 205 yards and was named honorable mention All-ACC as a return specialist.
Gibbs grew up in Dalton, Georgia, and attended Dalton High School. He rushed for 897 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore and 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns in his junior season. As a senior, Gibbs led the state with 2,554 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns and was named first team all-state, the Georgia 6-A 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, and a first team All-American by Sports Illustrated. He was also invited to play in the 2020 All-American Bowl. Gibbs finished his high school career with 4,882 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns.
Gibbs was initially rated a three-star recruit and committed to play college football at Georgia Tech at the end of his junior year over offers from Michigan, Texas A&M, and North Carolina. Gibbs was re-rated as a four-star prospect during his senior year and was further recruited by Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, but ultimately decided to maintain his commitment to Georgia Tech.
Jahmyr Gibbs entered college football as a highly regarded prospect, earning a four-star rating from Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN. He was included in the prestigious Rivals250, 247Sports 247, and ESPN 300 lists, highlighting his exceptional talent. Rivals recognized him as the No. 2-ranked all-purpose running back nationwide and the No. 10-ranked player in the state of Georgia. Additionally, 247Sports ranked him as the fifth-highest-rated recruit in Georgia Tech history.
Gibbs's accomplishments in high school were equally impressive, as he was named Georgia's 6-A 2020 Offensive Player of the Year and received first-team all-state honors. Sports Illustrated recognized his outstanding performance by naming him a first-team All-American during his senior year in 2019. He had the privilege of participating in the prestigious 2020 All-American Bowl held in San Antonio.
Furthermore, Gibbs was named Georgia's 2019 6-A Offensive Player of the Year, first-team all-state honoree, and the 2019 Region 6-AAAAAA Player of the Year. Throughout his high school career, he amassed an impressive 4,882 rushing yards and scored 70 touchdowns. One of his standout performances came during his senior year when he set a Chattanooga metro area record with 420 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in just three quarters during a 62-10 victory over Ringgold.
Notably, Gibbs had the opportunity to play alongside his Georgia Tech teammates Kyric McGowan and John Ross, all under the guidance of coach Matt Land.