Duke CB Mark Gilbert a 2021 NFL Draft sleeper on the rise
By Seth Steere
Mark Gilbert is a 2021 NFL Draft sleeper to monitor closely
It’s been 20 months since we have seen Mark Gilbert take the field for the Duke Blue Devils, but he could still be a 2021 NFL Draft sleeper. Nearly two years from the last time Gilbert strapped up in a game-day uniform he is back to 100% and was participating in spring practices for the Blue Devils before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world.
During the second game of the 2018 season for Duke, Gilbert was trailing a receiver on a slant route when he accidentally stepped on the receiver’s foot, which caused all of his weight to come down on his left leg (eerily similar to the injury we saw Tua Tagovailoa get this last season), resulting in a dislocated hip. Gilbert has had two surgeries since his initial injury and looks to come back better than before, according to Shawn Krest of Sports Illustrated.
"“That was one of the mental aspects I had to get over. That’s why those three days of spring ball were very therapeutic for me. I was making plays. I was able to see I can be the player I was before and even better.”"
Two -years is a lot of time off for anything, not just football, even Gilbert admitted to forgetting how fast things are on the football field.
"“It was nothing different, but you do forget how fast you play, how fast guys are moving out there, how well-conditioned you were before the injury."
With spring ball coming to a close just three practices in for Gilbert this year, he didn’t’ get much time to get acclimated to playing football again. That being said, if he can return to form, or better, we could be talking about a first-round prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. In his sophomore season — 2017 — he was 1st Team All-ACC, receiving 79 votes, which was more than any other corner in the ACC.
It was for good reason that he was elected to First-Team, that season he came away with six interceptions and 15 pass deflections, that is elite ball production at his position and that is not to be taken lightly. Gilbert is a serious candidate for “CB1” and it’s time to put this guy on your radar.