Allen Park — The Detroit Lions are signing cornerback Mark Gilbert off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad, according to the player’s agent.
To make room on the roster, the Lions placed receiver Quintez Cephus on injured reserve.
A former standout at Duke, Gilbert found himself on the NFL’s radar after his sophomore season in 2017, when he broke up 21 passes and intercepted six balls.
Unfortunately, injuries would plague him his final three seasons at the school. He suffered a severe hip injury early in the 2018 campaign that cost him the rest of that year, as well as all of the following season.
He returned to action in 2020, intercepting a pass in his second game back, before undergoing another surgery, this time for a foot injury.
At his pro day, the 6-foot-1,192-pound Gilbert impressed again, running a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, with an elite-level 1.52-second 10-yard split and 10-foot-10 broad jump. That, along with his college production when healthy, earned him an opportunity with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent.
Appearing in all four preseason games for the Steelers, he played 82 defensive snaps, as well as contributing on multiple special teams units. He finished the exhibition slate with five tackles and two pass breakups.
Gilbert is the cousin of former four-time All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers