Zane Campbell (37) breaking up a pass for Rutgers during the Scarlet-White Spring Game in April 2016

For Rutgers football, there are three safeties with experience in starters Anthony Cioffi, Saquan Hampton, swing reserve Kiy Hester.

Hester has been a little banged up thus far in training camp, but the redshirt sophomore played in 10 games with seven starts a year ago racking up 36 tackles, five pass break-ups, and an interception in the back up the endzone from former Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, now in the NFL.

Head coach Chris Ash raved after practice today about the first team free safety Hampton, saying he can become "a star" as he is only a redshirt sophomore as well. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder played in all 12 games a year ago with one start at safety.

Then there's Cioffi, a steady senior ball hawk who started his career at Rutgers at corner for his first two seasons, moved to free safety a year ago, and now switched over to strong safety. Cioffi's grit is unquestioned, and his awareness is off the charts.

So what is there after that?

After practice on Friday, defensive backs coach Bill Busch first mentioned Zane Campbell, a fourth-year junior who is currently listed as the backup free safety to Hampton on the depth chart. Campbell sat out last season due to his transfer from D-III Wesley College in Delaware, but as worked his way to the second team.

At Wesley, Campbell played in 25 games at cornerback and worked at cornerback this spring for the Scarlet Knights, but was moved over to safety this spring. Campbell made a few plays in the Scarlet-White Spring Game in April, including a pass break-up in coverage of redshirt senior wide receiver Carlton Agudosi. Campbell also reshaped his body adding 17 pounds to jump from 180 to 197 pounds.

"Right now, Zane Campbell is the one getting a lot of reps," Busch said. "He moved from corner over to safety. First, his body type led him to look more like a safety and he's done a very good job of developing himself over the course of the summer, so I'm very excited about that.

"Also, he made a great amount of improvement in the knowledge factor. He's made a lot of plays, and he's by far the leading interception guy in fall (camp) so far. He's a very willing tackler too so he'll get in a fight and do that too so that's exciting."

The Delran, N.J. native said he always wanted to come back home and play for a New Jersey school, so former Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood and his staff recruited him and gave him a shot to walk-on to the program. The former Wesley Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013 called his journey a grind and has been working hard under the eye of strength and conditioning coach Kenny Parker.

And if his interception totals increase and he stays in the lead, he'll own bragging rights in the defensive back room.

"Actually it's a funny joke," said Campbell, who totaled 76 tackles and seven pass break-ups in his two season for the Wolverines. "Me and a couple corners, Isaiah Wharton, Blessuan Austin, and (safety) Saquan Hampton, we have a little race to see who gets the most picks by the end of camp, so we'll have to see by the end who has most."