Luke Gilbert, Jacksonville State TE: the 2026 season story
Luke Gilbert is a sophomore tight end for Jacksonville State (Conference USA). He ranks 24th of 305 tight ends in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every tight end on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Knowing the one or two things a player does best, and where he is ordinary, says more than any single total. Luke Gilbert's strongest measure is yards per target at 12.1, 9th of 169 (the average is 7.6). His weakest is target success rate at 53%, 69th of 169 (the average is 51%).
Season production
Why it matters. Totals reward staying healthy and getting the ball; per-game numbers show how much he really carries each week. His receiving yards per game, 39, ranks 20th among 169 ranked tight ends.
Against every tight end
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of tight end he is. Among ranked tight ends he sits, on average, in the 82nd percentile for volume, 71st for efficiency and 88th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. A season average can hide a player who is great one week and absent the next; game by game shows how dependable he is. Over 9 games, Luke Gilbert's best came in week 2 at Ohio and his quietest in week 3 against Georgia Southern.
When it matters
Why it matters. Plenty of players produce in easy situations; the ones who keep it up on third down and against good teams are the ones coaches trust.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. Where and how a player makes his plays shows how his team uses him and what a defense has to take away.
National and conference
Why it matters. A national rank shows how a player stacks up beyond his own league, where the competition can be very different. Luke Gilbert is 24th of 169 FBS tight ends and 1st of 13 in Conference USA. Next up nationally is Lawson Luckie of Georgia, 0.02 ahead on the index.
Tight ends like him
Why it matters. Comparing a player with his closest statistical matches puts his season in context beyond the rankings. His closest match this season is Reis Kessel of North Dakota State.
