Auburn football HC Bryan Harsin lauded this freshman defender

Auburn football head coach Bryan Harsin was highly complimentary about incoming freshman safety Caleb Wooden after spring ball began at the beginning of this week.

Caleb is the brother of red-shirt junior Colby Wooden, who announced his return to the Tigers for the 2022 season after chatter the DE could bolt via the transfer portal.

Colby’s status left Caleb’s status hanging in the air for a bit. No more.

Wooden has already made an impact in practice, and Harsin gave him his due:

Auburn football needs someone to step up in the secondary

Smoke Monday is gone to the NFL, and Bydarrius Knighten also no longer has eligibility after transferring from the FCS (SEMO).

Something has to give on the backend of the Tigers defense.

Caleb Wooden has the chance to make an impact as a freshman behind Marquise Gilbert and Zion Puckett. No one is too established to keep Wooden from making good on those chances.

Truthfully, any success AU’s defense sees in 2022 will have origins from dominant play upfront. Senior/graduate leaders like Derick Hall, Owen Pappoe, and Eku Leota, join Wooden as major returnees with something to prove after the collapse that concluded the 2021 campaign in the final month.

Auburn football will be in a good position to compete in the loaded SEC West if Wooden or Cayden Bridges could provide productive depth for the team this fall. That statement rings true on the offensive side of the football as well, especially considering the collective experience of the WR room.

A-Day on April 9th gives us the first hints of what the answer of to any of these questions could possibly be.