By: JOHN KAMPF (MorningJournal.com) — COLUMBUS — Neither the day — nor the feeling — will be forgotten anytime soon by Thaddeus Gibson.

The Euclid product and his Ohio State teammates had barely come down from the emotional high they received from a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon on New Year’s Day when a blunt realization hit Gibson — who at the time had just declared himself eligible for April’s NFL draft.

“I was in the shower,” Gibson said, “and a guy came back and said, ‘C’mon, we’re going to start the meeting early.’”

Not wanting to be late, Gibson said he hurried out of the shower at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, quickly got dressed and approached the meeting room. It was then that it hit him — his playing days at Ohio State were over and he wasn’t in on the meeting.

“I almost walked into the meeting room,” Gibson said. “Then I was like, ‘Wow. I’m not really on the team anymore.’ When that happens, it’s like, ‘Wow. It’s really over with.’”

Along with the 18 seniors that departed following the season, Gibson — a redshirt junior — is also finished playing at Ohio State.

But whereas most of his former teammates will not be drafted in April’s NFL draft, Gibson is expected to be drafted as high as the first round.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end has been working Cheap Alli out at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center since returning from the Pasadena, Calif., and is one of 53 juniors who were invited to participate in the NFL Combine starting on Feb. 24.

“It’s crazy,” Gibson said. “I was telling my brother (Rafael) about it yesterday. He said he remembers when I was younger, out doing backflips and running in circles just because. And now I’m going to go show people and perform to show teams I can do things like that. It’s incredible.”

Gibson, like the rest of the departing OSU seniors with NFL aspirations, went through a strenuous workout on Tuesday with Eric Lichter, OSU’s strength and conditioning coach. It’s hardly a new experience for Gibson to work out with Lichter, since Lichter – prior to coming to Ohio State – worked out with Gibson at Speed-strength Systems at the Euclid Sports Complex.

“I know I’ve got to work on everything,” Gibson said. “From the 40 to my vertical jump, bench press, everything. You can always get better at everything.

“I just have to work out with Coach Lichter. He’s been working with me since my junior year in high school, so I’m familiar with his routine.”

Gibson said he is more excited than nervous for the upcoming NFL Combine and NFL draft. He has bought into the workout regimen being orchestrated by Lichter and is confident in taking the Wunderlich test – though he is pretty sure no class he has taken at Ohio State will help him on the test, which gauges a players ability to learn and thick quickly.

“Nope, none at all,” Gibson said when asked if any class at OSU will help him with the Wunderlich test. “It’s weird. Crazy. I’ve looked the test over, but the questions on it are so weird, I can’t even think of one to tell you what’s on it.”

Lichter raved of his long-time pupil, giving note not only to his physical abilities, but also his personality traits. He called Gibson “tenderhearted,” adding that, teams will be impressed with Gibson’s character when they sit down with the Euclid product to get to know him as a person.”

The look on Gibson’s fact turned from a frown — when called tenderhearted — to a smile when his……

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