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Mark Gilbert Will Declare For The NFL Draft, Done At Duke

A sad ending to a promising Duke career

By JD King
Duke v Northwestern
 EVANSTON, IL- SEPTEMBER 08: Mark Gilbert #28 of the Duke Blue Devils intercepts a pass against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half on September 8, 2018 at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.
Photo by David Banks/Getty Images

This is a bit sad but it also makes perfect sense: Duke cornerback Mark Gilbert will give up the rest of his season and get ready for the 2021 NFL draft.

Gilbert, who made an epic comeback only to have to stop after two games to have foot surgery, won’t be back this season for Duke so there’s really no reason not to start focusing on his future.

Still, as fans it’s sad to see all of his hard work not pay off, at least in the short term. He’s busted his butt to make it back on the field and to only get two games seems kind of cruel.

Fortunately, even though his foot surgery will keep him out the rest of the season, it was only to clear out bone fragments and isn’t a red flag for the NFL. What they’re more likely to focus on is the guttiness of his comeback and the character it showed.

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