Williams building bond with Tennessee wide receiver

Hardin County (Tenn.) wide receiver Kaydin Pope is a high priority for Auburn in the 2022 class.

Auburn offered on Feb. 2 and the interest only has increased since.

“The offer felt really good,” Pope said. “I had been talking to them. Since the first day I hit them up, which was a couple of weeks ago, they’ve been showing interest.”

Cornelius Williams has led the charge. Auburn’s new wide receivers coach has communicated with Pope almost daily.

“I’ve been talking a lot with Coach Williams,” Pope said. “He’s recruiting me very hard. I talked to him again (Monday). We talk almost every day.”

Pope and Williams have started to develop a bond. Williams is the main reason Pope plans to take a long look at Auburn.

“I really like Coach Williams as a coach and as a person,” Pope said. “He’s a really good guy. He believes in the same thing I believe, which is whatever you work for you can get.”

Pope is learning more about Williams, but would like to know more about Auburn. A virtual visit is the next step followed by, hopefully, a visit to campus.

“I don’t know much about Auburn because I’ve ever been there, but it seems like a really good school,” Pope said. “I definitely want to check it out. I think I’m going to do a virtual visit as soon as possible and I hope I can visit there (if visits resume).”

In addition to Auburn, Pope has offers from Ole Miss, Tennessee, Duke, Mississippi State, Boston College, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati, among others.

Pope doesn’t have a top group at this time.

“I don’t have any favorites, yet,” Pope said. “I’m going to wait and see how the virtual visits go.”

As a junior, Pope had 56 receptions for 1,295 yards (23.1 avg.) and 12 touchdowns.