DL My'Keil Gardner enjoys Texas official visit, Oregon up next

The Texas Longhorns hosted a number of top targets on official visits over the weekend, including a handful of defensive line targets that the UT staff is pursuing. Included in that group was My’Keil Gardner, a defensive tackle out of Peoria (AZ) Liberty.

Gardner, who had previously taken official visits to Cal, Wisconsin and Michigan, said it was a good visit overall, including the opportunity to hang out with the other recruits and current Texas team members.

“The highlights for me would be going to Top Golf. I think that’s what really makes these visits fun is the social part of them and UT did a great job of that,” Gardner said.

A 6-2, 285-pounder, Gardner picked up a Texas offer late last year and has been in steady contact with Texas D-line coach Bo Davis ever since. During his stay in Austin, Gardner said the Texas staff stressed to him that he could be a good fit in the UT program and that things are trending in the right direction in the current staff’s second year in Austin.

“The UT coaches are great,” Gardner said. “They don’t really have a recruiting pitch outside of the fact that the city of Austin is growing rapidly and there are so many things to do along with being a football player.

“They were genuine and explained where they want to go with the program and how they feel they are on the right track.”

Up next, Gardner has an official visit scheduled for Oregon for this coming weekend. Though Michigan holds 100 percent of the FutureCasts for Gardner, he’s not tipping his hand on which schools are standing out or where Texas might fit in.

“We will see when it’s time for me to commit,” Gardner said.

Gardner is ranked as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com. He’s the No. 8-ranked player in Arizona and holds close to 20 scholarship offers.