'09 WI DE Ben Gardner (Stanford Verbal)

[GoRU]

'09 WI DE Ben Gardner



Weakside DE
Mequon (WI) Homestead

Ht: 6-foot-4
Wt: 240 lbs
Class: 2009 (High School)

Homestead stars hope to one day meet in bowl - JSOnline

Rose Bowl.

It became a possibility after Gardner decided to play for Stanford this week. Harris already has committed to Wisconsin.

"Obviously that'd be pretty cool," said Gardner, a defensive end who made the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association's all-state first team. "I wasn't necessarily expecting to get an offer from Stanford. When I did . . . it still really hasn't hit me yet."

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Gardner was named North Shore Conference player of the year after he and Harris helped Homestead win its second Division 1 state title in three years. Gardner had 62 tackles and six sacks.

"He is a special young man who combines academics, leadership and athleticism into one special package," Homestead coach Dave Keel said. "He is an awesome leader in our program. We are simply thrilled for this opportunity."

Gardner had received official offers from Montana, Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota and South Dakota State. The Badgers wanted him to be a preferred walk-on.

So why Stanford?

"In my eyes, I don't think there's any better place," Gardner said. "First, the academic side of things. I want to be challenged in the classroom and Stanford is one of the best schools in the country. My family is moving to Seattle after graduation and I have a lot of family in California. And I've always wanted to play in a major BCS program. When you get an offer from a school like Stanford, to get a free education of that caliber, it's tough to turn down."