On the eve of the first day of the December signing period, the Kansas football team on Tuesday picked up a commitment from Minnesota transfer Gage Keys.
A 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive lineman, Keys told JayhawkSlant.com’s Jon Kirby that his relationship with KU assistant Jim Panagos played a huge role in his decision to join the Jayhawks.
“Me and Panagos’ relationship is very strong,” Keys told Kirby. “I’ve known him since I was a junior in high school, so we’ve been locked in for a while. It was big in my portal recruiting to get with a genuine staff, and because of me and his relationship, it makes that easier on me.”
Panagos is not the only KU connection that made the move a little easier for Keys. He’ll soon be following in the footsteps of two former Minnesota teammates — running back Ky Thomas and wide receiver Doug Emilien — who joined the Jayhawks in time for the 2022 season.
Keys’ plan, according to Kirby, is to enroll at KU in January. And he believes he has the talent and opportunity to make an immediate impact on the Jayhawks’ D-Line.
Keys visited KU last weekend and he also had taken a visit to Virginia Tech prior to coming to Lawrence. Utah and Colorado, with new head coach Deion Sanders, were also believed to be interested in getting involved in Keys’ recruitment after he entered the transfer portal.
A native of Hilliard, Ohio, Keys was at Minnesota for three seasons, although he did not see any action in either 2020 or 2021. According to his bio on the Minnesota roster, he entered the 2022 season with four years of college eligibility remaining, which would leave him three years remaining at Kansas.
The Jayhawks will be losing three key contributors — Sam Burt, Caleb Sampson and Eddie Wilson — from their defensive line this offseason, and Keys should have an opportunity to help fill the void starting this spring.
Wednesday marks the start of the December signing period for Division I football. It will run through Friday and KU is expected to have plenty to report in the way of new additions and commitments becoming official.