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Arik Gilbert signed with the LSU Tigers in the class of 2020. Four years later, he’s still considered the highest rated tight end prospect of in the recruiting rankings era.
A former five-star talent, he was expected to blossom into a star in the SEC. His college football path, however, has largely gone wayward.
Coming out of Marietta High School in Georgia, Gilbert landed an overall rating of 0.9950 at 247 Sports. That bested previous title holder Greg Olsen. Gilbert landed an immediate role with the Tigers as a freshman, hauling in 35 catches for 368 yards.
He then opted to move onto a new SEC program closer to home. Following a brief flirtation with the Florida Gators, Gilbert enrolled at Georgia. There, he sat out one season for “personal reasons” before seeing the field seldomly in 2022 (2 rec, 16 yds).
Not long after, he was on the move again. This time, he left the SEC altogether, signing with Matt Rhule and Nebraska ahead of the 2023 football season. Unfortunately, that stint ended before getting started.
In the offseason, surveillance footage showed Arik Gilbert breaking into a convenience store. It would result in the first of two offseason arrests that summer. He left the team shortly after the legal drama, but now it appears he’s again ready to make an impact on the field.
NEWS: Former 5-star TE Arik Gilbert has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, @PeteNakos_ reports.
Gilbert has made stops at LSU, Georgia, and Nebraska.https://t.co/0RKPvVDbqX pic.twitter.com/0YowrkyYOk
— On3 (@On3sports) December 10, 2024
Gilbert’s talent isn’t the issue. We noted his ability to crack the lineup at LSU as a freshman. Off-the-field problems, though, have hindered his growth.
With legal issues now behind him, he has a chance to focus on football. He’ll likely receive interest from notable schools in the recruiting process. It will be interesting to see if (and when?) someone takes a chance on the tight end.