Tag: Marietta High School

Instant analysis of Chargers’ selection of Troy RB Kimani Vidal

Analyzing the Los Angeles Chargers’ selection of running back Kimani Vidal with the 181st overall pick.

Los Angeles has added another running back.

One that I projected the Chargers to take a full round earlier at No. 140 overall in my final projections on Thursday morning.

But LA was patient, and Troy running back Kimani Vidal tumbled. The Chargers pounced at No. 181 overall, selecting the back to join a room of Gus Edwards, JK Dobbins, Isaiah Spiller, and Elijah Dotson.

Vidal led the FBS with 47 carries of 10 or more yards in 2023, thanks in large part to his high-end instincts as a runner in a gap blocking scheme. That’s what the Chargers are expected to run under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman as well, making Vidal an attractive option as a complimentary back.

Vidal is only an average receiver, which leaves the Chargers without a clear option for that role in the 2024 season. But he should have a defined role in LA’s offense next to Edwards and Dobbins, and the Chargers likely see him as the potential long-term successor in the running back room.

A roughly similar player to Michigan’s Blake Corum, Los Angeles gets Vidal three rounds later than Harbaugh’s pet player in Ann Arbor.

And it’s a home run, much like the ones Vidal’s great-uncle Hank Aaron used to hit.

Breaking: Arik Gilbert makes transfer decision

Arik Gilbert is headed to the Florida Gators

Sunday, former five-star tight end Arik Gilbert finalized his transfer decision. The former LSU superstar entered the portal in December and will be heading to Gainesville to join Coach Dan Mullen and company.

Of course, this is likely not the news Georgia fans were hoping to hear, but luckily, the Bulldogs do have plenty of weapons on offense, including former five-star tight end Darnell Washington returning.

Losing Gilbert to the Gators certainly hurts, but Georgia should be alright on offense next year. However, putting the former LSU star in an offense like Mullen’s will be a tough task to defend.

Kyle Pitts and that wheel-route play sure do ring a bell …

Georgia is likely still the favorite in the SEC East heading into 2021, but Jacksonville just got much more interesting.

Former 5-star LSU TE Arik Gilbert sends interesting set of tweets

Former five-star LSU tight-end Arik Gilbert sent out an interesting set of tweets on Sunday night

Arik Gilbert, the former five-star tight end out of Marietta High School, has been the talk of Baton Rouge over the past few weeks for his decision to opt out of the 2020 season.

Gilbert, a 6’5″, 253-pound freshman superstar, was coveted by the Bulldogs, Crimson Tide and Tigers in his final recruitment stage last year.

Now, it appears as though the former five-star could be on the move after just one year with LSU and Coach Ed Orgeron.

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve heard anything on Gilbert, so Sunday night’s tweets were a bit of a re-fresher to his status.

Gilbert has been quiet on social media since news broke of his potential transfer and it was noted that he felt a bit homesick during his season with the Tigers, per Coach Orgeron.

Now, one would assume the highly athletic tight-end is taking some needed time off to think about his future and decide on what lies ahead.

Of course, Orgeron and the LSU program have mentioned they would gladly welcome Gilbert back next season if he is open to it.

Stay tuned to UGAWire as we continue to track Gilbert’s recruitment…

Georgia football offers scholarship to Marietta’s Daniel Martin

Wednesday, Daniel Martin, a 2022 4-star OLB, took to Twitter to announce a scholarship offer from Georgia football.

2022 top-50 recruit Daniel Martin took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to announce an offer from the University of Georgia.

Martin (6-foot3, 190 pounds) from Marietta, Georgia, is rated as the No. 5 outside linebacker and the No. 48 overall recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

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The Marietta native holds offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Tennessee and now the Bulldogs.

Martin is the latest Georgia offer in the class of 2022. Last week both North Kansas City native Domonique Orange and Monroe, Louisiana recruit Will Campbell were offered scholarships for 2022, among others.

Keep an eye out for more reported scholarship offers as we head into summer – Kirby and the Bulldogs coaching staff have been hard at work during the down time.