SI All-American Candidate Jardin Gilbert Highlights and Evaluation

Jardin Gilbert is a safety prospect from University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, La. Gilbert is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Jardin Gilbert
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds 
Position: Safety/Wide Receiver  
School: Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab
Schools of Interest: LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Texas, Florida State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Memphis, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. 
Projected Position: Free Safety 

Frame: Slender, with above-average length. Adequate width across upper body. Long arms. A bit high waisted. Spindly, under-developed thighs, trunk and calves. Significant growth potential remaining. 

Athleticism: Explosive. Outstanding burst. Light, active feet; pops in and out of cuts with little wasted motion. Fluid, flexible hips and ankles. Effortless leaper. Plenty fast, but not a total burner. Packs punch as tackler despite lack of strength, weight. Natural hand-eye coordination. 

Instincts: Intuitive, decisive defender in secondary. Identifies throws early and closes toward ball with decisiveness. Tracks ball well in air. Excellent hands, as evidenced by highlight-reel grabs at receiver. Willing, aggressive in run support; takes responsible angles toward ball-carrier. 

Polish: Fantastic feet in deep coverage. Effortlessly flips hips to turn and run. Needs more experience as one-on-one cover man. Must add weight and get stronger to continue affecting run game at next level. 

Bottom Line: Gilbert boasts an impressive combination of quick-twitch athleticism, length and instincts in the defensive backfield. Extra high ceiling due to possibility of additional weight, power increasing versatility. Likely multi-year starter for Power-5 program, with clear Sunday potential.