Former DB for Texas A&M Football Transfers to Conference Rival

Former Safety for Texas A&M Football Jardin Gilbert Set to Return Home; Commits to LSU Tigers

Safety Jardin Gilbert, a 2021 signee with Texas A&M football who began the 2023 season as a starter, entered the transfer portal 11 days ago, on December 4. Gilbert, being from White Castle, Louisiana, seemed to be a bigtime lean to the in-state Tigers ever since he announced his intentions to transfer, and now that suspicion has been justified.

Gilbert, as I mentioned, began the 2023 season as a starter after seeing some time in the 2022 season as well in the Aggie secondary. He suffered an injury at some point in the Miami game, however, and his level of play began to tail off, eventually seeing him replaced by Jacoby Mathews (another DB from Louisiana, as a matter of fact).

Mathews played very well in relief for Gilbert, and the thought was that the latter would not be able to get the job back given how well the younger DB was playing. At this point, the portal seemed to be a likely destination for Gilbert, and Baton Rouge the logical endpoint from there.

The Tigers struggled severely in pass defense this past year. Even after nabbing the infamous (among Texas A&M football fans, anyway) former 5-star Denver Harris in the portal last offseason, the Bayou Bengals still put out one of the worst units in the country against the pass. This immediate and pressing need for the Purple and Gold, and Gilbert's familiarity with the program, made this a natural fit.

For the Aggies' part, they continue to look in the portal for their very own reinforcements in the secondary. Already notching a commitment from Kansas State transfer CB Will Lee, Texas A&M football is hosting several top portal prospects that play in the secondary, including TXHSFB veteran and Oregon State transfer Jermod McCoy. Shoring up the back end would go a long way for the Aggies when it comes to their 2024 defense.