Auburn entered fall camp with most positions settled, but a few starting spots are still up for grabs. One of these is at safety, a position left vacant by the departure of Jaylin Simpson, who was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft last season.
Texas transfer Jerrin Thompson appears to have secured one of the safety positions, but the other is still being contested.
During Saturday’s scrimmage, Caleb Wooden and Sylvester Smith split reps with the first team, offering little indication of who has the edge in that battle.
“Regardless of how it turns out, both Caleb and I will be on the field,” Smith told reporters on Monday.
Smith, who redshirted in 2023, is entering his second season at Auburn. Despite competing with Wooden for the starting job, he said he’s still trying to learn as much as he can from him.
“Caleb has a very strong mindset,” Smith said. “Being around him, observing how he approaches each play, and learning from his thought process during and after plays has been invaluable.”
Wooden, a junior, started just twice but appeared in 12 games at safety for Auburn last season. His experience and knowledge could be crucial for a secondary featuring many young players.
Smith isn’t just learning from Wooden, though.
“I spend a lot of time with Jerrin, practically every day. I’ll head to his place to watch film, then we’ll come back here and review with the coaches,” Smith said. “Having Jerrin and Caleb around has elevated my game, thanks to how knowledgeable they are.”
Thompson, who transferred from Texas in January, has quickly emerged as a leader, a trait Head Coach Hugh Freeze praised before spring camp. This leadership has also benefited Smith.
Smith is among several second-year players in Auburn’s secondary poised for an expanded role this season. During Saturday’s scrimmage, Champ Anthony and Kayin Lee also featured on the first-team defense.
“We’re all really close, and that’s been a big focus this year compared to last,” Smith said. “We’re all united in chasing the same goal. When you focus on the team’s objectives, your individual goals will fall into place.”
The trio played a key role in a defense that outperformed the offense in much of the scrimmaging, giving hope to a unit Freeze has identified as crucial to the season’s success.
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