Caleb Wooden among leaders in secondary

FAYETTEVILLE — Former Auburn free safety Caleb Wooden is among the leaders in the secondary despite being only at Arkansas for around three months.

Wooden, 6-1, 195, had 17 tackles, including 12 solo, one pass breakup and an interception last season at Auburn. He enrolled at Arkansas in January and without many upperclassmen leading the team he has assumed that role.

“Absolutely,” Wooden said. “That’s what me and Coach (Marcus) Woodson talked about on my official visit. Stepping up, being a leader in this room because, like I said, I have that experience. I know what it takes to win in big-time football games, I’ve played in big-time football games. Just having that experience that comes with it you have to step up and be a leader because not a lot of guys, like you said, have played a lot of football or are returning starters or have experience. So absolutely.”

Wooden said choosing Arkansas was an easy decision on his part once he entered the transfer portal.

“For me it was familiarity with the coaching staff, Coach Woodson, T-Will,” Wooden said. “They were already at Auburn. They recruited my brother, so the relationship was already there. It was like a family reunion when I came on the visit because there was already a relationship there. And that was a heavy factor in my decision to come here.

“There was definitely the idea to go play at Arkansas just because I already knew T-Will and Coach Woodson. I can’t remember exactly how the conversation got started, but I remember Coach Woodson texted my phone and after that, it was, ‘We’d love to get you up here on a visit.’ And I did. I came and I loved it. I committed on my official visit, actually.”

Wooden intercepted a KJ Jackson pass on Saturday and said the move to Arkansas gone good.

“It has been pretty smooth,” Wooden said. “Playing in this conference for three years, you become accustomed to the talent that we face every day in practice, and coming over here it’s no different. The SEC is the SEC, and it’ll forever be the SEC. So the transition has been smooth because I have that experience to come with me and I’ve played in big-time games. I think that’s what I’ve been able to bring to the table to Arkansas.”

At Arkansas, Wooden has spent time also working at the nickel in addition to free safety.

“As of late, it’s really been I’d say 50/50 nickel and safety,” Wooden said. “Me and Larry (Worth), we decide. Like, we’ll rock paper scissors, where you want to go at nickel or safety? At Auburn, I played nickel and safety, as well. It’s definitely some mix over coming over here to Arkansas. I’d say I’m more comfortable playing safety because that’s what I was recruited as, but I can play both.”

Wooden faces the Arkansas wide receivers each day in practice. Two newcomers have jumped out at him.

“Raylen Sharpe, Kam Shanks,” Wooden said. “They may be small, but they’re quick. They know how to get off press. They know how to use their angles and create space, most importantly. They know to create space.”

The spring game is Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m.