Honors & Awards
2023 Preseason All-Southern Conference (1st Team)
2023 Team Co-Captain
2023 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll
2022 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll
2019 Southern Conference All-Freshman Team
2019 Southern Conference Defensive POW (vs. Virginia Tech)
2022 Southern Conference Defensive POW (vs. Mercer)
2023 — Elected by his teammates as a co-captain...named to the Preseason All-Southern Conference 1st Team as selected by the coaches....ranked by Hero Sports’ Sam Herder as the No. 23 inside linebacker in the FCS.
2022 — Put together a solid year, registering a team leading 94 tackles (6th in SoCon), including 15 for-loss and four sacks...logged 12 starts at middle linebacker and played a pivotal role in Furman’s 10-3 season that featured a stretch of seven consecutive wins and an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs, where the Paladins claimed a 31-6 first round home win over Elon...10 wins represented the most by Furman since 2005...team finished a consensus 10th in final AFCA and Stats Perform Polls...campaign was fueled with strong work by Furman’s defense, which led the FCS in turnovers gained (29) and interceptions (18)...helped the Paladins rank first in the SoCon in scoring (20.2 ppg) and red zone defense (71.7 percent, 28x39)...tallied 11 tackles, three tackles for-loss, and a forced fumble in a 24-19 win over Charleston Southern...delivered 12 stops, including three for-loss, and a sack against The Citadel (21-10 win)...headlined a stellar defensive effort in a 23-13 road win over FCS 11th-ranked Mercer, totaling 12 tackles, three for-loss, and a sack as the Paladins limited the Bears to just 50 rushing yards (30 carries) and just 4-of-16 third down conversions after Mercer entered the game sporting a 51.8 percent conversion rate...the Paladins’ five sacks versus the Bears doubled the five Mercer had allowed for the season at that point...work against Mercer netted him SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors (second of his career)...notched 11 tackles and a forced fumble in FCS second round playoff action against Incarnate Word...named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll for the 2022-23 school year.
2021 — Registered playing time in 10 of Furman’s 11 games, logging starts in nine contests at middle linebacker...sat out the East Tennessee State game due to injury...credited with 59 tackles to rank second on the squad behind free safety Hugh Ryan...also credited with three pass breakups and a forced fumble and fumble recovery...registered a season high 13 tackles, including one for-loss, against Chattanooga...tallied 12 stops in season ending, 41-34 road victory over Samford...third quarter fumble recovery at the goal line halted a North Carolina A&T scoring threat in the Paladins’ eventual 29-18, season opening win over the 24th-ranked Aggies...named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll for the 2021-22 school year.
2020 — Earned playing time in all seven games (spring of ‘21) and logged starts at middle linebacker in the final four games...credited with 36 tackles, which he complemented with an interception, two pass deflections, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery...tackle total ranked second on the squad...tallied a season high 10 tackles, interception, and pass deflection against Chattanooga...pickoff versus UTC halted a scoring threat and featured a 20-yard return...had six tackles and forced fumble against Samford (44-37 OT win)...fumble recovery, which he returned 17 yards, came against The Citadel.
2019 — Registered playing time in all 13 games and made seven starts at middle linebacker...credited with 70 tackles, including 4.5 for-loss, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup...70 stops ranked second on the squad...fashioned a memorable career starting debut, racking up a season high 12 tackles, including one for-loss, and a forced fumble in Furman’s 24-17 loss to Virginia Tech...forced fumble set up a touchdown that gave Furman a 7-3 lead...performance netted him SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors...went on to notch starts in the next six games...played a key role in leading Furman to an 8-5 record, at-large berth to the FCS playoffs, and No. 16 ranking in the AFCA Coaches final poll...squad topped the SoCon in scoring defense and passing defense..named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
2018 — Appeared in three games...saw his most action in season opener versus Clemson, totaling three assisted tackles...awarded redshirt and extra year of eligibility.
High School: 2018 graduate of Jesuit (5A) High School...head coach was Matt Thompson...played middle linebacker and also handled punting duties...finished his career as Jesuit’s all-time leading tackler with 385 stops...served as team captain his junior and senior campaigns...member of region championship and state playoff teams in 2015 (13-1) and 2016 (12-1), and district title squad in a 2017 campaign that saw him record 119 tackles, 19 tackles for-loss, three sacks, two caused fumbles, and a blocked punt he returned for a touchdown...registered a career high 19 tackles against St. Joseph’s (Pa.) Prep...two-time second team all-state pick in 2015 & ‘16 and was a third team choice in 2017...two-time Tampa Tribune All-Hillsborough County choice...two-time team defensive MVP....also competed in track & field in the shot put and discus events.
Personal: Full name is Braden Connor Gilby...born August 19, 1999, in Tampa, Florida...son of Jon and Jennifer Gilby...has a sister, Julia..father was a walk-on football player at Texas A&M and member of the famed “12th-Man” kickoff squad...May 2023 graduate with a degree in health sciences.
