The recruiting for Gage Keys went down to the wire and before he committed to Kansas there were more schools trying to get in the mix.

Keys, a transfer from Minnesota, committed to the Jayhawks on Tuesday afternoon. He called Jim Panagos to tell him about his decision.

Panagos recruited Keys at Minnesota when he was the defensive line coach for P.J. Fleck. There were several schools making a push at Keys, but the relationship with Panagos won out.

“Me and Pangos relationship is very strong,” Keys said. “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.”

There were also some other Minnesota connections with Keys. On the visit he had a chance to meet with Ky Thomas and Doug Emilien, who also transferred from Minnesota last year. His hosts were Tommy Dunn and D.J. Withers.

“My hosts on the visit were Tommy and DJ but we also got around Ky and Doug too,” Keys said. “I liked the players and felt we had a good connection. I can see that they’re hungry to achieve their goals as well so it’s a situation where I feel like we’ll be able to push each other to be our best.”

Keys finished his visit on Sunday and went back home to think about his recruiting. Sources said Utah and Colorado were two teams trying to get involved. He visited Virginia Tech before Kansas.

He believes he can help the Kansas defensive line right away.

“My visit was good,” he said. “The biggest thing that stood out to me was the opportunity I have to come in and instantly impact the defense and help lead the d-line.”

At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds Keys has the frame and tools to help immediately. He is a good athlete and moves well for a defensive lineman. After exiting the transfer portal, he plans to enroll in January.

“It feels great to finally be committed and to be able to begin my new chapter,” Keys said. “I’m excited about the opportunity and I’m ready to show the world what I can do.”