LSU's Arik Gilbert enters transfer portal

LSU tight end Arik Gilbert entered the transfer portal after just one season with the Tigers, head coach Ed Orgeron said Tuesday, as later confirmed by The Athletic's Brody Miller.

A former five-star recruit, Gilbert was a heralded prospect, ranking sixth on the ESPN 300.

Gilbert played eight games with LSU in 2020 before opting out of the season, sparking uncertainty over his future with the school. He showed flashes of his potential, recording 368 receiving yards and two touchdowns with the Tigers.

Orgeron told ESPN's "Off the Bench" that the 6-foot-5 freshman had entered the transfer portal but said he was hopeful of luring Gilbert back to the program.

"We love Arik. He entered the transfer portal. We're still in contact with his mother and family. Hopefully, he wants to come back. I just wish the best for him," Orgeron said, according to Sports Illustrated's Glen West.

A Georgia native, Gilbert committed to LSU over offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Oklahoma.