Welcome Aboard: Jaron Tibbs
Over the last 25 years, Purdue has produced a number of All-American wide receiver. 2023 Purdue signee Jaron Tibbs looks to be the next in the line of great wide receiver to call West Lafayette home.
Tibbs was one of the best wide receivers in Indiana for the 2023 recruiting class and rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals. The Indianapolis native chose Purdue over offers from Iowa, Northern Illinois, Miami (OH) and Ball State among others.
He will come to Purdue after four years at Indiana high school football powerhouse Cathedral. The Irish have the second most IHSAA football state championships in Indiana history with 14.
Tibbs will not arrive on campus until the summer as he graduates high school this spring. The football standout also plays for the reigning Class 4A IHSAA State Champion Irish alongside Michigan State commitment and No. 9 player in the 2023 recruiting class, Xavier Booker.
The Purdue signee leaves Cathedral as one of the best players in program history. He broke the all-time receiving record with 2,519 yards for his career, over 500 yards more than the second most in Cathedral history. That includes passing former Ohio State wide receiver and current NFL star Terry McLaurin. He also finished with 158 receptions and 24 total touchdowns during his career.
A pair of Tibbs' former teammates are familiar to Purdue, 2023 verbal commitment Kendrick Gilbert and 2024 target Danny O'Neil. The trio won back-to-back IHSAA Class 4A State Championships in 2021 and 2022.
See what Tibbs had to say about his decision to go to Purdue, expectations for his time in West Lafayette and more in "Welcome Aboard."
What have your impressions been of the new coaching staff?
"I really like the new staff. Coach [Ryan] Walters and Coach [Graham] Harrell showed their interest in me as soon as they got their positions. Coach Walters came and met me in person a couple days after he was hired and introduced himself and told me the plan he has for Purdue."
What role does the staff see you doing in the Air Raid offense?
"I don’t know exactly the vision they have for me because they want to have a meeting with me in a couple of weeks and explain all that to me."
What do you hope to accomplish during your time at Purdue?
"What I want from Purdue is to become the best version of myself and follow the legacy of all the great receivers that have come before me."
How much did seeing the success of guys like Rondale Moore, David Bell and Charlie Jones impact your decision?
"The impact of those guys before me definitely had a huge impact on me because I saw the success that they had and could envision myself in their shoes."
What stood out about Purdue to make it the place you wanted to go?
"What I liked about Purdue was that it was close to home, has great academics, and the playing style of their offense was very attractive."
What does playing at a high school like Cathedral do to prepare you for Purdue?
"I feel like playing at such a powerhouse of a high school exposes me to better competition which will ultimately have me more prepared for college. Especially with the coaching and practice style."