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Nov 26, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Jaylon Jones (17) and defensive back Jardin Gilbert (20) celebrates a defense stop against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
When [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] arrived at LSU, he had to rebuild the roster and rebuild it fast. That led to Kelly taking 15 transfers his first year and landing the No. 3 overall transfer class in the country.
In 2023, LSU took 13 more transfers and made it back-to-back top-five transfer classes to start Kelly’s tenure. This year, LSU took a different approach. The Tigers took just nine transfers with the overall class ranking 39th in the portal rankings.
The 2024 class will assist more with depth than the starting lineup. Just one or two players from this year’s transfer group are expected to assume starting roles. One of those is safety [autotag]Jardin Gilbert[/autotag].
Gilbert, originally from Louisiana, was a four-star in the 2021 recruiting class. He spent three years at Texas A&M before hitting the portal following the season. According to 247Sports, he was LSU’s top-rated transfer of the 2024 cycle, just ahead of wide receiver CJ Daniels.
LSU needed SEC experience in the secondary and Gilbert has it. He spent 2022 as a starter, notching 52 tackles and two picks. He allowed just 14 catches in coverage.
Gilbert began 2023 in the same spot before an injury ended his campaign.
If Gilbert bounces back to the level he was at in 2022, LSU is getting an immediate upgrade at safety. It allows new defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] to take advantage of the versatility he has with [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] and [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag].
Gilbert isn’t a thumper at safety and he struggled to defend the run at A&M, but LSU’s defense isn’t…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/safety-jardin-gilbert-lsus-most-161729612.html
Author : LSU Tigers Wire
Publish date : 2024-08-04 16:17:29
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