Florida QB visits Auburn, receives offer

AUBURN | Lake Wales (Fla.) quarterback Chayil Garnett, his parents and sister all visited Auburn for the first time on Monday. They planned for it to be a one-day visit.

“I basically spent the whole day with the (assistant) coaches,” Garnett said. “They wanted me to stay until Tuesday so that I could speak with Coach (Gus) Malzahn.”

So Garnett did, and he’s glad that he did.

“We stayed overnight and had a great meeting with Coach Malzahn on Tuesday,” Garnett said. “He said he was very impressed with me and said they were offering. He said it was a great opportunity at Auburn and that I could fit into their program very well.”

Garnett already had several offers, including three from Ivy League schools, but not one from the SEC. Not until Tuesday.

“The Auburn offer felt great,” Garnett said. “It was my first big Power 5 offer. It’s a blessing and a great opportunity to play at that level, the SEC. I like Auburn. The facilities are top-notch, as are the coaches and the environment. It’s a great family environment. Everybody there knows each other and respects each other. It’s just a great place.”

Garnett hopes his first visit to Auburn won’t be his last. He’s tentatively scheduled to return for the spring game on April 13.

“I might come back and spend some time with the players in the dorm, just to get the feel of the day in the life of an Auburn football player,” Garnett said.

Garnett doesn’t list a leader in his recruitment, but that could change soon. He’d like to announce a commitment soon.

“I don’t have a leader at this point, but I have high interest in Auburn and Duke and all the schools that are recruiting me,” he said. “I will have a commitment soon. I’ll probably make it in the next couple of weeks.”

As a junior, Garnett completed 126-of-206 passes (61%) for 2,028 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 336 yards and four scores.