Notre Dame WR Micah Gilbert Prepared for College & Ready to Learn
It’s been a month of change for Notre Dame’s early enrollees and that includes receiver Micah Gilbert.
The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder is not only adjusting to the college academics and athletics, but Gilbert has a new receivers coach in Mike Brown. The relationship is brand new as the two didn’t have any communication until Brown was hired at Notre Dame.
“I got to know him a little bit, but definitely late in the recruiting process because it was a quick change,” stated Gilbert. “Ever since I got to know him, it’s been a quick and easy relationship. We’ve gelled really well and it’s just been a great relationship so far.”
Gilbert also has a new offensive coordinator in Mike Denbrock as he took over for Gerad Parker, who is now the head coach at Group of Five powerhouse Troy.
That relationship is very fresh as Denbrock spent most of January on the road recruiting, so the next few weeks will be crucial for all of Notre Dame’s offensive players to get a feel for their new offensive coordinator.
Yet, Denbrock’s resume speaks for itself.
“Denbrock coming in, that was great,” said Gilbert. “Obviously, we loved Parker. Parker was an amazing guy. But Denbrock performed well at LSU. We saw what they did. So, coming in it was a big adjustment but we were all excited for it.”
There are several Notre Dame signees with family ties in athletics or pro sports, but it’d be hard pressed to find one that runs deeper than Gilbert’s family. His father, Mark, played basketball at Duquense, while his sister, Naomi, played hoops at UNC Pembroke. Gilbert’s older brother, Mark, played football at Duke and then signed with the Steelers.
It doesn’t stop there as Gilbert has three cousins who made the NFL in Darrell Revis, Jordan Whitehead and Dravon Askew-Henry.
And yes, the Charlotte native will be the first to yell you it matters given he’s been pushed his entire life, but also seen the ups and downs that come with college athletics.
“With a lot of family coming from that level and performing at higher levels, it puts a lot of pressure but also, it’s a lot of knowledge for myself, so I know what I’m kind of getting myself into,” Gilbert explained. “I give a lot to my brother because he’s probably my biggest coach throughout all of this with him playing at Duke and then performing professionally. He’s coached me through the whole process, just what to expect, to coming up here to just put the time and the work in.”
Confidence is something Gilbert doesn’t lack, but he knows he’s going to have to earn his reps moving forward.
“I’m just here to learn from the older guys,” stated Gilbert. “I’m taking it one day at a time. Like I said, it’s college. Everybody here competes at the same level, but everybody here is good. That’s why we’re all here. Take it and learn from the older guys. I’m trying all I can do to compete with them and stay on the level that they are.”
Where will Gilbert end up playing? It’s still in the air as he has the ability to play outside or inside at the slot position due to his ability to create favorable matchups with his skill set and size.
“I would say I’m a bigger receiver, so I have a physical frame,” said Gilbert. “I’m more physical. I create some mismatches, a very high-catch radius from long arms and my speed goes along. A lot of people say that my speed may not be there but it’s faster than you would expect, so it creates some mismatch problems. I would say just a physical guy who can go out there and do the details stuff to get the job done.”
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