Auburn football announces signing of Jay Hardy, who Tennessee recruits were trying to flip

Auburn football's Twitter account on Saturday welcomed Jay Hardy to its 2020 recruiting class.

Hardy didn't write anything on his Twitter account but did retweet Auburn's announcement.  

The McCallie defensive lineman committed to Auburn on Nov. 6, but neither Hardy nor the Tigers acknowledged he signed during the three-day early signing period in December.

"He did sign on Dec. 18, but he wanted to wait to release it so he could preserve that moment and sign with his friends in February," Shelly Hardy, the player's mother told 247Sports on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Hardy is the No. 102 recruit nationally and No. 9 defensive tackle, according to the 247Sports Composite. 

Hardy picked Auburn over finalists Tennessee, Florida, Georgia and Georgia Tech. He also had offers from Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Oklahoma among others.

"He loves (the state of) Tennessee and loves Chattanooga," Shelly Hardy told 247Sports. "Whatever team he plays for he's going to represent Tennessee and Chattanooga well."

UT signee Keshawn Lawrence told The Tennessean this week he and the rest of the Vols' 2020 signing class hadn't given up hope to flip Hardy, an Auburn commitment.

"I think we can," Lawrence said about Hardy. 

"It's kind of hard right now. He's not paying attention to us, but we're going to keep trying."