Tennessee defensive end visits Auburn, plans to return

AUBURN | Greenback (Tenn.) defensive end Derrell Bailey Jr. visited Auburn for the first time on Saturday. It went well enough that Bailey already plans to return.

“I like it,” Bailey said. “It’s a good fit. I liked everything. I feel like I can trust the coaches. I feel like they’ll be straight up with me. I’ll definitely be back, maybe this summer.”

Bailey spent a lot of time during the visit meeting with defensive line coach Rodney Garner.

“The coaches stood out more than anything … the coaching staff stood out a lot and Coach G,” Bailey said. “(Garner) said when you get here they are going to make you great regardless. He’s going to motivate you to be great.”

Bailey, who is 6-foot-6 and 257 pounds, recently has received offers from Oklahoma, Florida and Virginia Tech. He also has offers from Arkansas, South Carolina, Oregon, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Missouri and Virginia, among others.

Auburn has yet to offer, but that could change soon.

“They said they will offer,” Bailey said. “I just have to be patient.”

As for favorites, Bailey said he’s not in a rush to name any.

“I might drop my top 12 sometime soon, maybe a top 10,” Bailey said. “I’m going to wait on Auburn to offer because it’s going to be one of my top schools.”