Arik Gilbert Georgia transfer impact

Of all the players to take advantage of the new transfer rules this offseason, there might not be one with as high of a ceiling as new Bulldog Arik Gilbert.

He was the highest-rated tight end in the modern history of recruiting rankings. He impressed as a freshman at LSU, catching 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games.

And it hasn’t taken him long to show his teammates why his ceiling is so high.

“He’s as advertised,” safety Lewis Cine said. “He brings a whole lot to the table as far as our offense. He’s big, he can move. He can really move. He’s a really talented guy. Real quiet but he goes about his business and he knows what he’s here for.”

Under the old transfer rules, Gilbert would’ve had to sit out a season. But thanks to both the NCAA and SEC both changing their views on the matter, Gilbert has the potential to play in the 2021 season for Georgia.

Gilbert was the lone offensive transfer Georgia brought in this offseason. With George Pickens out with a torn ACL, Gilbert will have a chance to make an early impact for the Bulldogs.

But it’s not guaranteed he does just that for Georgia. He’s got to make some significant strides in his first month of practice with his new team.

“I think learning is the key,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on what Gilbert must do to make an early impact. “He’s got to learn the system, words really. “I would almost say vocabulary, learning how we practice, how to learn our stuff at a fast rate. That’s the key for him.”

Gilbert though wasn’t brought in to sit and develop over the course of a few seasons. The Bulldogs would benefit tremendously if he was able to convert some of that raw potential into on-field production early in the 2021 season.

His freakish athleticism is why he was such a coveted recruit in the 2020 recruiting cycle and why he’s at Georgia right now. Smart understands you need dynamic playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.

He’s saw it first hand with how LSU and Alabama have beaten Georgia in the past two seasons.

“I do know that having skill players that can light up the scoreboard and score points is certainly critical,” Smart said. “I think that we’ve been able to close the gap in terms of if the standard was Alabama or LSU and their offenses, we’ve probably closed that gap.”

The 2019 LSU offense had four first-round picks on offense, while the 2020 Alabama offense to this point has had five starters who were taken in the first round.

Smart was quick to point out how hard it is to know how many first-rounders you have at the moment, due to the hindsight nature of the NFL draft. In addition to Gilbert, Georgia can turn to James Cook, Jermaine Burton, Zamir White, Darnell Washington and others on the offensive side of the ball who can make plays.

“It’s exciting in having a great athlete in Arik,” tight end John FitzPatrick said. “He’s among a huge group of wide receivers and tight ends so we’re excited for the whole team.”

Gilbert was a tight end at LSU last season but will play wide receiver this year for the Bulldogs. FitzPatrick detailed that a number of offensive weapons are fluid in terms of positioning on the offense.

That likely means we can expect to see Gilbert used in a variety of ways once he gets up to full speed.

The sooner Gilbert is able to do that, the sooner the Georgia offense might be able to reach its full potential.

“I think coach Monken is going to dial up some great plays,” Fitz Patrick said. “We’re going to run the ball well, we’re going to pass the ball well. We’re going to work on all types of plays and be ready.”

Arik Gilbert ‘as advertised’ per Georgia teammate Lewis Cine

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