Although Auburn’s secondary appears to be relatively well-positioned at the start of the season, there still appears to be a fairly open competition for the starting safety position.

The experienced Jerrin Thompson, who transferred from Texas, seems to have earned the nod for a safety position, but in the practice game on Saturday the first team’s appearances at the other safety position were split.

Caleb Wooden and Sylvester Smith were the two players who shared those reps. But when asked about the fight, safety coach Charles Kelly said it goes deeper than those two.

“We have a few guys. Caleb Wooden, Sylvester, Kaleb Harris and (Terrance) Love. I mean, all of those guys, it’s not just one or two,” Kelly told reporters Wednesday.

Love and Harris played primarily with the second team, but had good moments on Saturday.

Harris, a freshman from Thompson High School, intercepted a pass during Saturday’s practice game, and his rapid development impressed Kelly.

“Kaleb is very competitive, very smart, very instinctive, learns very well, picks things up and comes from a great program, like a lot of our players,” Kelly said. “He learned a lot in high school, not exactly the same thing we do on defense, but similar concepts.”

Love, a sophomore, played safety in 12 games for Auburn last season. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, his skill set is unparalleled.

“Just because the guy is big doesn’t mean he can’t guard,” Kelly said. “I’ve coached some big guys who guarded really well. I think he’s done that.”

However, Kelly specifically praised Wooden and Smith when asked about the competition.

“I think Caleb Wooden has done a really good job,” Kelly said. “First of all, he had a great summer. He’s come back. He’s probably in the best shape I’ve ever seen him in, skating very well. He understands the strategies.”

“Sly too. Had a good summer. Very instinctive player, very physical, you know, both. What I like about the group is that they all bring something different.”

When asked who is ahead in this competition, Kelly did not give a clear answer. That changes from day to day.

Regardless of who wins, it is safe to assume that several players will play in this position over the course of the season.

“At the end of the day, no matter what happens, Caleb and I will both be on the field,” Smith told reporters Monday.