LSU TE Arik Gilbert named Gatorade National Football Player of the Year

LSU freshman tight end Arik Gilbert is the highest-ranked tight end in the history of 247Sports.

LSU freshman tight end Arik Gilbert is the highest-ranked tight end in the history of 247Sports.

Gilbert, who committed to the Tigers in October and signed in December, is a 6-foot-5, 253-pounder from Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga.

On Friday, Gilbert received quite the honor as he was named Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.

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Paige Bueckers, a basketball star from Hopkins High in Minnetonka, Minn., was named Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Gilbert had a record-setting season for Marietta High in 2019. He caught 105 passes for 1,860 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led his high school to the Class 7A Georgia state championship. It was Marietta’s first state title win since 1967.

Gilbert was recently named to the Mackey Award watch list. The Mackey Award is given annually to college football’s top tight end.

With Thaddeus Moss and Stephen Sullivan both now in the NFL, the starting position belongs to Gilbert as we near the beginning of the 2020 season.

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