Take Two: Which position is best for five-star athlete Arik Gilbert?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
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THE STORYLINE
Arik Gilbert is one of the rarer prospects in the 2020 class, a five-star phenom who at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds looks like a million bucks and could legitimately star at tight end or defensive end at the next level.
And that will be the debate regarding the Marietta, Ga., prospect in the coming years - whether he will be of more value playing offense or defense. There might not be a wrong answer, since Gilbert is such a special prospect and ranked eighth overall in the 2020 class.
He has outstanding ball skills and his size makes him a special prospect at tight end. But on defense, Gilbert is a force off the edge who can be very disruptive.
Georgia is considered to be the front-runner in his recruitment and he would be a huge addition to the Bulldogs’ 2020 class as coach Kirby Smart continues to pile up talent in Athens. Can anybody beat the SEC East powerhouse for Gilbert’s services and, long term, which position is best for the five-star standout?
FIRST TAKE: JAKE REUSE, UGASPORTS.COM
“The positional debate for Gilbert is going to continue to rage, and for good reason. Yes, he prefers tight end for now, and he's got all the tools and size to flourish there, as he's shown multiple times in multiple settings. If that's what he ends up doing long-term, he'll likely be a great one.
"That does not lessen the want - at least for me - to see him focus on pass rushing. Those same skills that set him up well for tight end - speed, agility, and size - seem as though they'd make him a true force to be reckoned with when facing would-be blockers and laying licks on quarterbacks. Additionally, it would afford Gilbert the ability to impact the game in a larger way and expand his star power.
"Either way, he'll be fine. I'm sure few people would be upset about picking between being Gronk or Von Miller. Gilbert has that kind of upside, no matter which side of the ball he plays.
“Georgia has long felt like the smart bet for Gilbert's landing spot, but is it possible he lands elsewhere? Sure. Clemson and Alabama are never to be written off for anyone in the Southeast, and he's seen both several times. It's not hard to imagine a team pitching him as the centerpiece of their program either, which would be quite compelling. I'll be surprised if he gets out of the Peach State in the end, but this doesn't feel like a slam dunk for Georgia yet.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“Gilbert’s best position is tight end, but he could play anything. You have to assume Georgia has the lead. They’re the in-state school and they’re recruiting at a higher level than I’ve ever seen them.
“They have kids he knows already committed to the program. He reminds me of Joseph Jackson, the defensive lineman at Miami who is high on NFL Draft boards. Jackson worked out at tight end and thought he was a tight end and wanted to be a tight end, but he ended up playing on the defensive side of the ball and turned out to be a great player. That could happen with Gilbert. He’s that good on defense, but I’d say tight end is his more natural position.”