Vanderbilt's Nickain Hopkins Mocks Auburn for Recruiting Snub After Tigers' Loss
Mocking Recruits Who Snubbed Vanderbilt for Auburn
Vanderbilt safety Nickain Hopkins took to Twitter to mock Auburn after the Tigers' 41-12 loss to Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Saturday. Hopkins, a former four-star recruit, was one of several players who committed to Vanderbilt over Auburn.
"All those 4 stars that chose Auburn over Vandy," Hopkins tweeted. "Y'all wanted to play in a big game? Should've came to Nashville."
Hopkins' tweet was met with mixed reactions. Some Vanderbilt fans praised him for standing up for his team, while others criticized him for being disrespectful. Auburn fans, meanwhile, were quick to defend their program and point out that they have won more national championships than Vanderbilt.
Regardless of how you feel about Hopkins' tweet, there's no doubt that it has sparked a conversation about the importance of recruiting. In the modern era of college football, it is more important than ever for teams to be able to attract and develop top talent.
For Vanderbilt, the ability to recruit players like Hopkins is essential to their success. The Commodores have not had a winning season since 2013, but they have made some progress under head coach Clark Lea. With a strong recruiting class coming in, Vanderbilt could be poised for a breakout season in 2023.
As for Auburn, the loss to Penn State was a disappointing end to a disappointing season. The Tigers finished the year with a 6-7 record, their worst since 2012. Head coach Bryan Harsin is now on the hot seat, and he will need to improve his recruiting efforts if he wants to keep his job.