Texas Football: 5 former 5-Star recruits to pursue in the portal this year
Arik Gilbert, TE
Maybe the biggest name left uncommitted in the transfer portal at this point of the offseason is the uber-talented and future potential NFL star LSU Tigers freshman tight end Arik Gilbert. This former elite five-star recruit and Marietta product is about as good as you could hope for in terms of raw talent level out of the transfer portal.
Texas could do wonders with a skill position weapon like Gilbert in the mix for them on offense. He didn’t turn out to be the weapon that the Florida Gators had in star tight end Kyle Pitts, but he is definitely as close as it gets out of the transfer portal this offseason. He was also about the closest thing that came to another version of Pitts in the SEC last year.
Gilbert is one of the more potent high school prospects in recent memory. Coming out of Marietta, GA, during the 2020 recruiting cycle, Gilbert ranked as the nation’s No. 5 high school prospect, and the top overall tight end and prospect out of Georgia (247Sports Composite). Gilbert also ranked as nearly one of the top 100 prospects in the modern era of 247Sports Composite rankings.
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During his one year playing for head coach Ed Orgeron at LSU, Gilbert registered 35 catches for 368 receiving yards (10.5 yards per catch), and two touchdowns. He wasn’t used to his full potential last fall, and that is something that another school can take advantage of this fall.
Texas does have some depth at tight end now, but no one that brings the same raw potency in the passing game to the table as Gilbert.