Report: Still No Real Sense of Where LSU Football Tight End Arik Gilbert Will Land

As players start reporting to campus for summer workouts and classes, it's really the final period for those in the transfer portal to start winding down their recruitment decisions. LSU and Aubrun fans saw it last week when quarterback TJ Finley announced his commitment to Auburn after taking less than a month to weigh his transfer options.

There are still many players out there, one of which is former Tigers tight end Arik Gilbert. As a freshman, he was seen as one of the building blocks of this offense for the future and in some respects backed that up. He caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in first season at LSU. 

But he ultimately elected to opt out of the final two games of the 2020 regular season and enter the transfer portal. He was committed to Florida for a short stretch but has been back in the portal for many months as he continues to weigh his options. There's still room for him at LSU as coach Ed Orgeron has said in the past the Tigers would welcome Gilbert back with open arms. 

During the spring practice session, Gilbert visited LSU's campus and had a "good meeting" with the staff. 

"We had a very good meeting. There's been no decisions been made. He was happy. Everybody was happy to see him. We checked with compliance to make sure that everything that he was doing was on the up and up when he come meet him and he could come talk to us, Orgeron said. "He left. He hadn't made a decision yet, hadn't told us anything yet. I think it's still up in the air, but it was a very positive day when he came."

According to a recent report from Rivals national columnist Mike Farrell, there's still no real sense of where Gilbert could wind up, whether it's home state Georgia, near by Tennessee or LSU.

"This is a college decision and not his. Who will take a chance on him without grades and with other off-field issues rumored?" Farrell wrote. "LSU is where he has ex-teammate BJ Ojulari and comfort, but this is still up in the air."

LSU currently has Kole Taylor and Nick Storz competing for snaps this offseason at tight end, with the possibility of freshman Jack Bech also making the move from receiver to tight end as well.

With college programs now back for workouts, meetings and summer school, it wouldn't be a bit surprising to hear some more concrete answers come out on Gilbert in the next few weeks. His talent is undeniable and his fit in this offense, one that Jake Peetz is trying to bring back to 2019 form, could really use a weapon like Gilbert at tight end.