As Georgia Tech coaches try to age their young defensive backs quickly, redshirt freshman safety Dominique Reese is taking cues.

He's been working as a No. 1 safety, even though he played quarterback in high school in Auburn, Ala., and last season worked chiefly at cornerback while redshirting. It is more and more rare that he looks lost.

"I'm a lot more comfortable now," Reese said. "The basic fundamentals that [former defensive coordinator/secondary coach Jon] Tenuta taught me last season at cornerback carry over to what we're doing now."

Another former high school quarterback, Cooper Taylor, and sophomore DeRon Jasper worked again Wednesday morning as safeties in a version of the Yellow Jackets' dime defense [with six defensive backs].

In that grouping, Reese and fellow starting safety Morgan Burnett move outside with cornerbacks — a possible deployment when Tech faces four- or five-receiver sets.

Taylor, who played quarterback and safety at Marist, has not been working at safety with the No. 2 defense, however. That's generally been senior Troy Garside and junior Jake Blackwood.

"I talked a little bit about quarterback when I first met Coach [Paul] Johnson, but it's pretty much been safety [since]," said Taylor, whose father, Jim Bob, played quarterback for the Jackets in the early 1980s. "It's a little bit of everything, depending on the packages we're with."

Another pickoff for Riley at cornerback

Freshman cornerback Kamaron Riley had an interception for the second consecutive day in passing drills. ... Presumed starting quarterback Josh Nesbitt appears to be throwing with improved accuracy the past couple of days, including a nice long ball that wide receiver Demaryius Thomas caught over his shoulder in Wednesday morning passing drills. He also completed a pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver R.B. Clyburn for a first down on third-and-6 when the Jackets were going 11-on-11 later in practice.

11 percent miss afternoon practice

The injury list is hamstringing the Jackets as nearly 11 percent of the roster was out of the afternoon practice with ailments. Eleven of 104 players were sidelined.

Presumed starting wide receiver Correy Earls (hamstring) last practiced last Friday. The most likely candidate to press him for playing time, freshman Tyler Melton (shoulder), missed his second and third straight practices. Also still out: A-backs Greg Smith (hip) and Roddy Jones (hamstring), and defensive back Rashaad Reid (hamstring).

New to the morning list: offensive linemen Cord Howard (shoulder), who suffered a stinger Tuesday afternoon and did not practice Wednesday morning, and Alex Paquette (shoulder). Also, freshman B-back Richard Watson (unknown) and defensive end Anthony Egbuniwe (hamstring).

New to the afternoon list: offensive linemen Omoregie Uzzi (ankle) and Andrew Folkner (left leg).

Movement along offensive line

The offensive line rotation continues to evolve, other than at left tackle (Andrew Gardner) and center (Dan Voss). Jason Hill, redshirt freshman Joseph Gilbert, A.J. Smith and Uzzi worked at the guard spots, where Howard has previously been in the rotation. At No. 1 right tackle, senior David Brown and third-year sophomore Luke Snider, a walk-on from Norcross, split work.