Earlier this month, LSU football finished with the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation. The two crown jewels of that class, though, will see their debuts delayed.
During a Tuesday radio interview, Ed Orgeron revealed that Arik Gilbert (pictured) and Elias Ricks have both undergone shoulder surgery in recent months. The procedure and subsequent rehab will sideline Gilbert for all of spring practice. Ricks “will be ready at some time in mid-spring,” the LSU football head coach said.
Gilbert sustained his injury during the run-up to the All-American Bowl in January. In a Twitter posting Tuesday, Ricks stated that he played his entire senior season of high school football with a torn labrum. Shortly after the 2019 season was over, Ricks underwent his surgical procedure.
It’s expected that Gilbert will be 100-percent healthy when LSU football kicks off summer workouts in a few months.
Both Gilbert and Ricks were five-star 2020 LSU signees who enrolled in school early. Gilbert was the highest-rated signee in the Tigers’ class this year. Ricks, meanwhile, was the No. 2 signee.
Gilbert, a Georgia native, is the highest-rated tight end in the history of the 247Sports.com composite. Ricks is the No. 2 cornerback in the country in this year’s class. The former was rated as the No. 5 overall recruit, the latter the No. 14.
Five other 2020 LSU football signees enrolled early, including a trio of four-stars -- safety Jordan Toles, defensive end BJ Ojulari and quarterback Max Johnson. All five of those players are expected to participate in spring practice.
