{"id":1006305,"date":"2026-08-17T10:42:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T10:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1006305\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T10:42:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T10:42:31","slug":"former-auburn-starter-has-signed-paperwork-to-rejoin-hogs-break-5-for-5-seal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1006305\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Auburn Starter Has Signed Paperwork To Rejoin Hogs, Break “5-for-5” Seal"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Photo credit: Caleb Wood\/Instagram <\/p>\n

\"Add<\/a> Smash That \u201cFollow\u201d Button<\/p>\n

As the temperatures continue to rise, so too does the competition in Arkansas\u2019 secondary.<\/p>\n

On the final weekend of fall camp, head coach Ryan Silverfield added Caleb Wooden back into the fold.<\/p>\n

The veteran safety told Best of Arkansas Sports he signed his scholarship papers Saturday and will be in Fayetteville for the start of the fall semester Monday.<\/p>\n

After Sunday\u2019s scrimmage that concluded fall camp, Silverfield harped on his defense for allowing too many explosive plays and missed tackles. He likely had to contain his smirk knowing he had a reinforcement on the way.<\/p>\n

Wooden played three seasons at Auburn before transferring to Arkansas, where he made 11 starts and tallied 59 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups and 2 quarterback hurries as a senior last year. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against LSU, the Hogs\u2019 first since 2009.<\/p>\n

The Lawrenceville, Ga., native was made eligible by the recent injunction<\/a> granting Class of 2022 athletes a fifth year of eligibility in line with the NCAA\u2019s new \u201cfive-for-five\u201d framework.<\/p>\n

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When the ruling was handed down July 31, Wooden remembered getting a couple of notifications on his phone, but it took a little while for him to grasp the implications of a judge\u2019s decision two time zones away.<\/p>\n

That changed in a hurry when some friends pointed out that it applied to him. It was massive news for a player who thought his college career had ended with a loss to Missouri on Thanksgiving week.<\/p>\n

Wooden had turned his attention to making the NFL, where his older brother Colby is a defensive tackle with the Colts<\/a>. When college became an option again, he immediately reached out to an Arkansas staffer to see if a return was possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever I get the call, I\u2019m on the first thing smoking,\u201d he told BoAS earlier this month.<\/p>\n

A couple weeks later, a second season with the Razorbacks became official.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Silverfield likely believed his first Arkansas football roster was set in stone.<\/p>\n

With the addition of track star Maurice Gleaton Jr. and walk-on Braxton Scriber<\/a>, the Razorbacks had 120 players ready to report to campus August 4 for the start of fall camp.<\/p>\n

After the injunction, the first-year head coach told reporters that he was exploring all options. Silverfield, like other coaches across the country, had more questions than answers at that point. It was unclear if the Razorbacks even had extra room on their roster.<\/p>\n

However, Silverfield announced Sunday that tight end Maddox Lassiter will miss the season after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed upper body injury. That opened up a spot for Wooden under a new NCAA rule<\/a> allowing players with medically documented season-ending injuries to remain with the team and use its facilities without counting toward the roster limit.<\/p>\n

(That rule change could also allow John Calipari to add another player to his roster after Isaiah Sealy\u2019s season-ending knee injury \u2014 and subsequent arrest<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

What Caleb Wooden Brings to Hogs Secondary<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bringing in a 6-foot-1, 195-pound safety with multiple years of starting experience in the SEC is quite the 11th-hour addition.<\/p>\n

Wooden told BoAS that he briefly met Silverfield at Arkansas\u2019 Pro Day in mid-March, but that interaction wasn\u2019t much more than a handshake. He still has friends on the team, though, and they\u2019ve spoken highly of the new coach.<\/p>\n

On top of that, the 22-year-old is familiar with defensive coordinator Ron Roberts\u2019 system, as he played for him at Auburn in 2023. He remembers being part of a defense that forced 18 turnovers that season, one shy of leading the SEC. Wooden posted a career-high 76.6 PFF grade that year, crediting it to Roberts\u2019 \u201cDB-friendly\u201d scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going on year 30-something in the coaching profession, so he definitely knows what he\u2019s talking about,\u201d Wooden said. \u201cEvery single week he\u2019s going to come with a game plan that is going to put the team in the best position to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

When specifically asked about him after the first day of fall camp, Roberts deferred to Silverfield when it came to any potential roster moves, but said he remembered Wooden being a \u201cgood kid\u201d who has \u201cplayed a lot of football.\u201d<\/p>\n

Depending on how quickly he can get back up to speed and relearn Roberts\u2019 playbook, Wooden could push<\/a> Cincinnati transfer Christian Harrison or fellow returning fifth-year senior Miguel Mitchell for a starting spot at safety. His return adds another obstacle into freshman Tay Lockett\u2019s path to early playing time, though.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

Caleb Wooden Stayed Ready<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former secondary teammates like Julian Neal (Seahawks), Larry Worth III (49ers) and Kani Walker (Bills) are still fighting for roster spots in the NFL. Wooden, meanwhile, was invited to a rookie minicamp with the Washington Commanders in May after going undrafted, but didn\u2019t get signed.<\/p>\n

He returned home to Georgia and continued to work out, splitting time between his old stomping grounds at Archer High, local gyms and even the park.<\/p>\n

\n

“When things get hard, you have got to fall back on your why.”<\/p>\n

Loved this from Hogs DB Caleb Wooden about battling adversity and fighting the outside noise. #WPS<\/a><\/p>\n

There’s been plenty of both this week for the Hogs before they head to Knoxville \ud83d\udcfa\u2935\ufe0fhttps:\/\/t.co\/gigxj7OsfP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qEZJ8n1L9z<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Evan Kamikow (@emkamikow) October 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI take pride in my health,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t ever want to get out of shape because I feel as if for every person, your health is your biggest blessing. Being able to run, walk, do whatever, that\u2019s a blessing in itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wooden wasn\u2019t the only Razorback playing the eligibility waiting game this offseason. On the hardwood, Malique Ewin will use his extra year of eligibility at Oregon.<\/p>\n

The Razorbacks had four other true seniors last season and two of them, Worth and tight end Rohan Jones, signed NFL contracts. Defensive tackle David Oke ended up using a medical redshirt in 2025, so he\u2019s back at Arkansas as a traditional fifth-year senior. Fellow interior lineman Danny Saili entered the transfer portal in January and signed with Oklahoma earlier this month.<\/p>\n

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More coverage of Arkansas football from BoAS\u2026<\/p>\n