Veteran LSU TE Arik Gilbert chooses Florida as touchdown pickle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida landed one among the country’s most coveted transfers Sunday, a probable substitute for megastar tight stop Kyle Pitts.

Veteran LSU standout Arik Gilbert committed to the Gators on Twitter, announcing “right here is in fact the most sharp advise for me and I’m inflamed to affix the family.”

The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Gilbert, a five-megastar prospect and the No. 1 tight stop within the 2020 recruiting class, left the Tigers with two video games closing within the 2020 recurring season. He’s inclined to fabricate instantaneous eligibility under the NCAA’s relaxed switch rules.

The Marietta, Georgia, native caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns sooner than opting out. He returned dwelling following a 55-17 loss to Alabama in early December and left commence the door to approach to Baton Rogue. But he ended up within the switch portal and clearly on coach Dan Mullen’s radar.

Pitts left college after his file-environment junior season, which incorporated 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns as effectively as a 10th-pickle enact in Heisman Trophy balloting. Pitts is anticipated to be a main-10 deem within the NFL draft in April.

Gilbert doubtless will step appropriate correct into a starring feature at Florida, which furthermore misplaced quarterback Kyle Trask and receivers Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney. No decrease than, he’ll compete with Keon Zipperer for playing time this topple.

Gilbert is the second former five-megastar recruit to switch to Gainesville in fresh months, joining Clemson working support Demarkus Bowman.

Mullen has found mountainous success within the switch market throughout his three years with the Gators, with Grimes (Ohio Direct), fellow receiver Van Jefferson (Ole Miss), whisk rusher Jon Greenard (Louisville) and guard Stewart Reese (Mississippi Direct) main the attain. Mullen furthermore has Miami working support Lorenzo Lingard, Penn Direct receiver Justin Shorter and Georgia linebacker Brenton Cox — three former five-megastar recruits — on the roster and willing to step into bigger roles in 2021.

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