LSU Football: There’s still no clarity on the Arik Gilbert situation

Will tight end Arik Gilbert return to LSU football in 2021?

That’s one of the biggest questions of the offseason.

And it doesn’t appear that we’re anywhere close to an answer.

Gilbert, a former five-star recruit who signed with the Tigers during the 2020 recruiting cycle, left LSU in December with two games remaining in the season.

At the time, Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron said that Gilbert would be welcomed back to LSU if he decided he wanted to return.

In January, Gilbert “committed” to Florida, but eventually decommitted from the Gators.

Rumors ramped up last month that Gilbert was close to returning to LSU after a meeting in Baton Rouge with Coach O.

But so far, those rumors haven’t come to fruition.

What’s the deal with Arik Gilbert and LSU football?

Rivals national columnist Mike Farrell provided an update this week on Gilbert.

Well, I guess we can call it an update (since we haven’t heard anything on Gilbert in a while).

According to Farrell, Georgia and Tennessee could be back in the mix to land the stud tight end.

Gilbert is from Georgia, and he played high school football with Volunteers quarterback Harrison Bailey.

“Some expected him (Gilbert) to be back at LSU this week as players arrived for summer workouts, but apparently he is not,” reported Farrell.

“Now I hear Georgia and Tennessee rumors again and don’t know what to think,” added Farrell.

According to Farrell, there are some in Gilbert’s family that are fine with the tight end back at LSU, and some aren’t ok with it.

In other words, no one knows how this is going to play out.

Gilbert is too talented not be at an SEC program this fall. Hopefully, his talent isn’t wasted — Gilbert has the potential to be an all-time great football player.