SMU lands another transfer RB

[Charleston Pony]

SMU had offered Gardner out of H.S.


https://247sports.com/Player/Velton-Gardner-93784/

[BUS]

T.tech...kansas, grambling and now smu... how is progress on degree?

[dalpony]

Didn’t go to Grambling - had verbally committed to them after transferring from Kanas but has now committed here

[ponyboy]

In addition to Kansas, he had some pretty good offers: Tech, KSU, CU, Syracuse, Houston.

[PonyPride]

Velton Gardner
Running back
5-9 / 199
2020 sophomore at Kansas
Dallas (Skyline), Texas

Offers out of high school included Kansas, Colorado, Houston, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Jackson State, Louisiana, New Mexico State, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Texas State, Tulsa

Apparently he signed in February with Grambling State, but is headed to Dallas instead.

2021: Played in three games, carrying the ball 29 times for 56 yards.

His bio on kuathletics.com:

2020 (So.): Played in the team’s first six games of the season, earning two starts: at Baylor and vs. ISU ΓǪ KU’s leading rusher, gaining 325 net yards on 72 attempts, good for an average of 4.5 yards per carry ΓǪ Scored two rushing TDs on the season ΓǪ Season-long carry was 61 yards and his average yards per game came in at 54.2 ΓǪ Also caught six passes for a gain of 18 yards. Coastal Carolina: Broke off a career-long 61-yard touchdown in the season-opener ΓǪ The touchdown was the third of his career and also the longest rush of his career ΓǪ With the run, he surpassed his career high in rushing yards with 81 ΓǪ His previous high of 61 yards was set at TCU in 2019 ΓǪ at Baylor: Set a new career high when he carried the ball 14 times against the Bears, accumulating 70 yards ΓǪ His previous best came against Coastal Carolina in the season opener, rushing 11 times for 81 yards and one touchdown ΓǪ Oklahoma State: Gained 31 yards on 11 carries and scored a touchdown against the Cowboys ΓǪ Also caught a pass for a gain of five yards ΓǪ at West Virginia: Rushed the ball 11 times at WVU for 43 yards on the ground ΓǪ Also caught one pass for three yards, bringing his all-purpose yard total for the afternoon to 46 yards ΓǪ at Kansas State: The leading rusher for Kansas on the afternoon in Manhattan, accumulating 72 yards ΓǪ Carried the ball 16 times for the Jayhawks, a new career best, surpassing his 14 rushes earlier this season at Baylor ΓǪ Iowa State: Gained 28 yards on the ground vs. the Cyclones on nine carries ΓǪ His long rush of the day was for 21 yards.

2019 (Fr.): Saw playing time in 10 of KU’s 12 games of the season, earning one start against TTU ΓǪ Carried the ball 26 times for a total of 138 yards and two touchdowns ΓǪ His long rush of the year was good for 45 yards and he averaged 5.3 yards per rush ΓǪ Through the air, caught six passes for 24 yards, with a long reception of 11 yards ΓǪ Also made two solo tackles on the season. Indiana State: Saw action in the season opener in his Jayhawk debut ΓǪ Recorded two receptions for three yards ΓǪ Coastal Carolina: Caught one pass from quarterback Carter Stanley for a total of two yards ΓǪ at TCU: Had a breakout day at running back for the Jayhawks against the Horned Frogs ΓǪ Carried the ball four times for a total of 61 yards, with a long rush of 45 yards and one touchdown ΓǪ Also caught one pass for a gain of 11 yards, a new career-long reception ΓǪ Oklahoma: Gained five yards on three carries, with a long of four yards, against the Sooners ΓǪ at Texas: Carried the ball once vs. the Longhorns ΓǪ Matched his season and career high with two receptions ΓǪ Totaled eight yards through the air on the evening, with a long catch of five yards ΓǪTexas Tech: Made the first start of his collegiate career at running back ΓǪ Scored his second rushing touchdown of the season ΓǪ Rushed the ball a total of three times for 36 yards, with a long rush of 32 yards, which he carried into the end zone ΓǪ Recorded his first tackle as a Jayhawk against the Red Raiders in KU’s Homecoming victory ΓǪ Kansas State: Gained 16 yards on three carries, with a long rush of 10 yards, against the Wildcats ΓǪat Oklahoma State:Ran the ball three times for the Jayhawks while in Stillwater ΓǪ Gained a total of 10 yards against the nationally ranked Cowboys, with a long rush of six yards ΓǪ at Iowa State: Carried the ball five times for KU in Ames, a new season and career high ΓǪ Baylor: Gained six net yards on four carries against the Bears ΓǪ Also made a solo tackle on the afternoon, tying his season and career highs.

High School: Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … Played for head coach Herman Johnson at Skyline HS … As a senior, completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 2,459 yards and 26 touchdowns, while leading the team with 842 rushing yards and 14 scores … Named Offensive Most Valuable Player of the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl … Had over 3,000 total yards with 30 touchdowns his junior season … Rated No. 31 in the Dallas Morning News Top 100 rankings … Also lettered in track & field.

Used sparingly at KU, but he has some speed: