Analysis Positives: Rare athleticism for a player of his size. Versatile defender with experience at tackle and end. Good size potential. Naturally large man with room for plenty of additional muscle mass. Good initial quickness off the snap. Flashes the functional upper-body strength to disengage from blockers. Surprising balance for his height. Can break down in space and make the secure tackle.
Negatives: Struggles with leverage inside, and might lack the burst off the snap and flexibility to flank the tackle and close effectively as a defensive end. Too often allows blockers to get into his chest. Inconsistent getting his hands up in the passing lanes. Questionable level of competition. Better raw athlete than football player.
Compares To: TY WARREN, New England -- Gilbert is more of a 3-4 defensive end rather than an edge rusher in a 4-3 alignment. He seems comfortable shooting the gaps to get to the quarterback rather than trying to loop around the edge. If taken by a team operating from primarily a 4-3 base defense, he will be better off playing inside. He has a lot of potential and a rare-sized frame with an excellent wing span, but it took him more than three seasons to start to produce consistently. It could have been due to him settling in at defensive tackle in 2008.