2019 - 2020 GATORADE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ARIK
GILBERT
TIGHT END
MARIETTA HS
MARIETTA, GEORGIA
SENIOR
HEIGHT: 6-FOOT-5
PRESS RELEASE

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HIGHLIGHTED STATS
81
PASSES CAUGHT
1436
RECEIVING YARDS
12
RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
“Arik Gilbert is one of the best players I’ve ever coached against. He’s huge, fast and has great hands. He’s the best player on the field at any position he lines up.”
John Reid
Head Coach Head coach at Rome High

Athletic Excellence


The 6-foot-5, 255-pound senior tight end had led the Blue Devils to an 11-2 record and the Class 7A semifinals at the time of his selection. Gilbert caught 81 passes for 1,436 yards and 12 touchdowns through 13 games. A two-time All-State honoree, he was also named Region 3 Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and has been selected to play in the 2020 All-American Bowl. Gilbert is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 tight end prospect in the Class of 2020 by ESPN and Rivals, and No. 11 in the country regardless of position by Rivals. 

Academic Achievement


Gilbert has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. He has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at Louisiana State University next fall.

Exemplary Character


The founder of a campus-wide initiative called “Whisper,” which urges students to have device-free conversations and supports diversity and inclusion efforts, Gilbert has also volunteered on behalf of the East Atlanta Kids Club, Habitat for Humanity and March of Dimes. A parishioner at the Life Revolution Church, Gilbert has also donated more than 50 hours to Marietta elementary schools and the Marietta Youth Football program.