AUBURN | Defensive lineman Isaac Washington made the trip from North Carolina to Auburn on Saturday and is glad he did.

“It was great. Everything about it was great,” Washington said. “It was my first time at Auburn and I loved it. I didn’t think it was going to be like this, but it blew my mind. I expected it to be nice, but it was a whole lot better than I expected.”

Washington, from East Surry in Pilot Mountain, was one of several 2021 recruits at Auburn’s picnic. He arrived early Saturday morning and stayed until late in the afternoon.

“What stood out to me was just how welcoming there were,” Washington said. “When I first got here, everybody knew who I was. They took me on a tour and everything. I loved it.”

Washington also met with Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner.

“He’s a great man,” Washington said. “He’s real straightforward. I don’t like coaches that sugarcoat a lot of stuff, and he’s not one of those coaches. He’s going to tell you what it is and how it is, and I like that in a coach.”

Auburn and Garner offered Washington earlier in the summer. Washington since has added offers from Virginia Tech and North Carolina and has interest from several schools, including Clemson, Duke, Kentucky and Wake Forest.

Washington didn’t have a leader before his visit to Auburn last weekend. Now?

“Probably Auburn,” Washington said. “It was my first offer and I really like it here. I’ve liked Auburn my whole life. I grew up an Auburn fan. My dad is from Alabama, so I grew up watching Auburn-Alabama all the time.”

Rivals ranks Washington, who is 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, the No. 20 overall recruit in North Carolina for the 2021 class.