Strengths and Weaknesses in Arik Gilbert's Game
Georgia Football bolstered its offense last week by signing Arik Gilbert from the transfer portal.
Gilbert played tight end at LSU, but Georgia plans on moving him to slot receiver to better suit his athletic profile. Speaking of that profile, here's a quick rundown of his strengths and weaknesses upon arriving in Athens:
Strengths
Physical mismatch
The first strength is obvious; Gilbert is a big dude. He's 6-foot-5 and he will likely weigh around 235-240 pounds when the 2021 season begins. Despite the large frame, Gilbert is actually a fantastic athlete. He's fast, agile and a good jumper.
Best of all, Gilbert knows how to use his size. He keeps his body between the ball and the defender, ensuring only he has a chance to make the catch. After the catch, Gilbert uses his physical traits to gain extra yards. Defenses won't stop Gilbert with only one player; they will need three or more guys to bring Gilbert down every time he gets the ball and he will probably truck someone before he hits the turf.
When he's not running routes, Gilbert is also a capable blocker. It's not a strength at this moment, but he gives effort. Gilbert attacks defenders and does his best to keep them from impacting running plays.
Understanding of coverages
Throw away whatever assumptions you have about Gilbert's intelligence based on his academics; the man has a high football IQ. That is most evident in his understanding of coverages.
Gilbert is very aware of his surroundings when running routes. That's the first thing noticed when he runs against zone coverage. He finds open space, paces his routes based on where defenders are standing and breaks away from his route to avoid zones.
Weaknesses
Body Catcher at times
If Gilbert has one glaring weakness, it's a tendency to catch passes off his body. On shorter and intermediate routes, he will often turn toward the quarterback so he can cradle passes. This is because he doesn't have great hands, or because he doesn't trust his hands.
He had a low sample size of drops at LSU, but one against Arkansas stands out. He ran a good seam route to get wide open behind the defense. His quarterback delivered an accurate pass in stride, but Gilbert let the ball bounce off his hands. This will no doubt be something Gilbert works on when he gets on the practice field at Georgia.
For a more detailed breakdown of Gilbert's game, check out Brooks Austin's full review of Gilbert on YouTube.
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