Tolbert was born on February 27, 1999, in Mobile, Alabama, and attended McGill–Toolen Catholic High School, where he played baseball, basketball, and football.[1] He did not become a starter until his senior year and finished the season with 37 receptions for 696 yards and nine touchdowns.[2] Tolbert was rated a two-star recruit and initially committed to play college football at Jacksonville State before choosing to attend the University of South Alabama.[3]
College career
Tolbert redshirted his true freshman season at South Alabama after suffering a knee injury in preseason training camp.[4] He entered the starting lineup as a redshirt sophomore and finished the season with 27 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns.[2] Tolbert was named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference as a redshirt junior after catching 64 passes for 1,085 yards, both school records, and eight touchdowns, which tied the school record.[5][6] Against Arkansas State, he set a school record with 252 receiving yards on ten receptions with three touchdowns.[7] He was again named first-team All-Sun Belt and the conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 after resetting his own school records with 82 receptions for 1,474 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.[8]
As a rookie, he appeared in eight games and had one start. He recorded two receptions for 12 yards on the 2022 season.[13]
2023 season
In Week 9, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tolbert scored his first NFL touchdown on a seven-yard reception.[14] In Tolbert's second season, he appeared in all 17 games; recording 22 receptions, 268 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns.[15]
2024 season
In Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, Tolbert caught the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds remaining in a 20–17 victory.[16] In the 2024 season, Tolbert finished with 49 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns.[17]