4-Star CB Kayin Lee Drops Ohio State Commitment to Join Auburn

Four-star cornerback Kayin Lee flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Auburn on Wednesday, saying he chose the Tigers to stay near his home.

"I'm close to home," Lee told On3's Chad Simmons. "I can play very early and I'm playing SEC football, which I feel like is the most competitive conference."

Lee committed to Ohio State in June but was hotly pursued by Auburn throughout his recruitment process.

New Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze retained secondary coach Zac Etheridge for his staff, which played a major part in Lee's decision. Lee said Freeze has also been hot on his trail since taking the job last month.

"He was just after me from the get-go, from the first day we met," Lee said. "He was talking to me so much. He was talking to me more than the actual players that he hasn't even met yet on the team, trying to get me to come."

Lee is the No. 209 overall player and 25th-ranked cornerback in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He played high school football at Cedar Grove in Georgia, emerging as a quick, physical cornerback who plays bigger than his 5'11", 185-pound size.

Auburn has the 19th-ranked class for the 2023 season, which should give Freeze a strong foundation for his second tenure as an SEC head coach. Lee is one of seven commits ranked 4-stars by 247Sports.