Ex-Georgia Touted Playmaker Joins Fourth College Football Team in Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dave Holcomb | Last updated May 5, 2025 6:40 PM ET

An ex-highly-touted tight end prospect will start anew with yet another college football program this year.

On3's Nick Schultz reported on April 29 that Arik Gilbert, a former very highly-regarded 2020 recruit, is transferring to the Savannah State Tigers for the 2025 season.

Gilbert has previously played for the LSU Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Bulldogs heavily recruited Gilbert during the 2020 cycle, but he elected to commit to the Tigers. After one season with LSU, Gilbert entered the transfer portal and came to Athens.

After not playing at all for Georgia in 2021, the tight end registered two catches for 16 yards and a touchdown during 2022. But following two seasons with the Bulldogs, both of which ending with national championships, Gilbert again entered the portal.

While at Nebraska the past two seasons, Gilbert was arrested twice. Both arrests were on burglary-related charges. Gilbert's second arrest came in his hometown of Marietta, Ga.

During two seasons with Nebraska, Gilbert never appeared in a game.

BREAKING: Former Nebraska TE Arik Gilbert will play at Savanah State this seasonhttps://t.co/4ZYQjrClu4 pic.twitter.com/Jkujtq5oHo
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) April 29, 2025

Having not played in three seasons, Gilbert could be considerably rusty for the Tigers this fall. But the tight end did appear in the team's spring game last month.

Schultz wrote Gilbert hauled in a 39-yard touchdown during the spring game.

Savannah State is coming off a 5-5 mark in the 2024 season. The Tigers were also an even 4-4 in conference play.

In 2020, the 247Sports composite rankings rated Gilbert the No. 1 tight end and top Georgia recruit in the class. The tight end was also the No. 5 overall prospect.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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