Jardin Gilbert, SAF, LSU
Size:
Height: 6’1” | Weight: 200 lbs
Accomplishments:
Four-star recruit
“Jardin Gilbert is a fluid, athletic safety with explosive click-and-close ability to get involved in the run game and break on throws over the middle of the field."
Strengths:
Click and close
Athleticism
Rush-scheme recognition
Versatility
Concerns:
Tackling
Pursuit angles
Indecisive
Film Analysis:
Jardin Gilbert broke out as a sophomore at Texas A&M, playing 11 games while starting 10. He set multiple career highs, including nine tackles against Alabama and two pass breakups against Miami (FL). He finished his sophomore season with 61 tackles, 38 solo, and ranked second on the team. He was on the verge of becoming a household name at the safety position in 2023 when he injured his shoulder in the second game of the season and missed the rest of the year. Gilbert transferred to LSU for his redshirt junior season and is slated to start for the LSU defense.
The explosiveness with which Gilbert triggers downhill in the run game or quick passing game is shocking. It’s easy for him to click and close on the ball-carrier, even when backpedaling. He identifies run blocking well and accelerates downhill against offensive linemen and other blockers.
His athleticism makes him look like a nickel cornerback playing safety with an NFL frame, with his ability to quickly stop, start, and change direction. He can play from free safety down to nickel and float as a robber in the middle of the field, showcasing versatility. He has the speed and range to hold up as a high safety and can flip his hips to charge deep quickly.
Gilbert has the size and ball skills to man up against tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. While he’s not always comfortable backpedaling and trusting what he sees, he rotated into multiple different looks while at Texas A&M. He can handle the mental side of changing the picture on the quarterback.
Gilbert is a gifted athlete but sometimes feels like an athlete playing safety. He’s quick to open his hips and run downfield instead of backpedaling to keep the whole field in play and can be jerky in his reading out of plays. False steps forward and backward show up frequently when he doesn’t trust his eyes. When clicking downhill or to the ball-carrier, his pursuit angles need work, and he can be overly aggressive, giving up cutback lanes and making yards after the catch more accessible. He’s a poor tackler who leads with his head down, dives at legs, and does not wrap up correctly. As a free safety, he hasn’t shown trustworthiness in being the last line of defense on big plays. Another year of experience will help him grow more comfortable with route concept recognition and to trust his eyes.
Gilbert has the speed, size, and athleticism desired for the safety position but needs more experience and tackling techniques to develop as a trustworthy player at the next level.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Daniel Harms
Exposures: New Mexico (2023), Alabama (2022), Mississippi State (2022)