Gilbert Joins Pittsburgh Steelers as Undrafted Free Agent

DURHAM – Former Duke cornerback Mark Gilbert has agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Steelers to join the NFL organization as an undrafted free agent.

In 29 career games, 20 starts, Gilbert accumulated 65 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, and 17 pass breakups. A 2017 first team All-ACC selection and 2016 second team Freshman All-ACC honoree by Athlon Sports, Gilbert had 15 games with two-plus tackles, including a career-high eight stops against Virginia in 2017. He posted two games with two-plus interceptions against Northwestern (2017) and Wake Forest (2017). He recorded five games with two-plus pass breakups as well, including a career-high three versus Baylor (2017) and Virginia Tech (2017).

Gilbert graduated as Duke's single-season record holder for total passes defended with 21 (six interceptions and 15 pass breakups) in 2017 and is the only player in Duke history to record five-plus interceptions and 15-plus pass breakups in a single campaign.

Gilbert ?? is heading to the Steel City ??@MGilbert_3 ?? @steelers #DukeInTheNFL | #GoDuke pic.twitter.com/t62aucGnj3
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) May 1, 2021

A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Gilbert started Duke's opening two games of 2020 against Notre Dame and Boston College, making eight tackles, and intercepting one pass before needing surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his right foot. When he returned to the field at Notre Dame it was the first time in 734 days as he was sidelined recovering from hip surgery performed on September 9, 2018.

Gilbert started two games in 2018 before suffering a season-ending left hip injury at Northwestern, which kept him out for the 2019 season as well.

The 2017 season was a breakout year for Gilbert as he was tabbed a fourth team All-America pick by Athlon Sports and a first team All-ACC selection (the leading vote-getter among cornerbacks in the all-league balloting). He started all 13 games and recorded 35 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 15 pass breakups. In the ACC, Gilbert ranked first in total passes defended (21), first in total passes defended per game (1.62), second in interceptions, second in interceptions per game (0.46) and second in pass breakups. Nationally, he ranked tied for third in interceptions, tied for third in total passes defended per game, tied for third in total passes defended, tied for seventh in interceptions per game and tied for eighth in pass breakups.

That year he set Duke's single-season record for total passes defended, breaking the previous standard of 19 set by Erwin Sampson in 1989. He also matched the Blue Devils' single-season standard for pass breakups previously set by Sampson in 1989. Gilbert's six interceptions marked the most by a Blue Devil in a single campaign since 2006 when John Talley registered seven and led the ACC in interceptions per game (0.58).

Gilbert was named a 2016 second team Freshman All-ACC pick by Athlon Sports during his first season in Durham. He played in 12 games with three starts, totaling 18 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and two pass breakups. Gilbert logged a season-best seven tackles in Duke's win over North Carolina and was one of eight true freshmen to earn a varsity letter.

Gilbert graduated from Duke in December, 2020, with a degree in sociology and a certificate in documentary studies.

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