Nebraska’s tight end Arik Gilbert, who joined from Georgia in January, ran into trouble when he was arrested on a burglary charge this Tuesday.
Around 2 a.m., local police in Lincoln were alerted about a break-in at SJ’s Liquor and Vape Shop. Upon arrival, officers found a broken glass door and spotted the 21-year-old Gilbert leaving the store with a bag, as per the Lincoln police report.
A surveillance video from the shop showed the entire incident:
UPDATE: Arik Gilbert has been arrested on a burglary charge in Lancaster County. The former LSU, Georgia, and current Nebraska tight end was awaiting a waiver from the NCAA to play this season. He stole over $1600 from a liquor and vape shop. pic.twitter.com/M78D4gJLuR
— Spark College Football (@SparkCFB) August 29, 2023
The police reported that the bag Gilbert carried held stolen vape items, Delta 8 (a mind-altering substance), cigars, and lighters, all totaling $1,672.07 in value. Damage to the store itself was estimated at $650.
Reacting to the news, Cornhuskers’ head coach Matt Rhule said he was “obviously really disappointed, really sad” for Gilbert. Gilbert now faces a burglary charge, a serious offense in Nebraska. Rhule didn’t provide any information about what this might mean for Gilbert’s future on the team.
A renowned player, Gilbert was once celebrated as the top tight end recruit and was awarded the 2019 Gatorade National Player of the Year. He began his college career at LSU, playing prominently in the 2020 season. Later, he moved to Georgia but sat out for most of the 2021 season, only to join Nebraska this January. Now, Gilbert needs permission from the NCAA to play this season since he’s already made a one-time transfer.
Nebraska is set to begin their 2023 season against Minnesota this Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.