The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football adds Billingsley to 2022 newcomers
01.19.2022 | Football
A transfer from Alabama and native of Chicago, Ill., tight end Jahleel Billingsley becomes the 30th member of the Longhorns’ 2022 class.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football has added tight end Jahleel Billingsley, a transfer from Alabama and native of Chicago, Ill., as the 30th member of its 2022 class of newcomers.
Billingsley will enroll in Texas in January and be listed as a senior for the 2022 season with the potential of two years of eligibility remaining that includes the NCAA's allowance for an additional year due to COVID.
Billingsley played in 36 games with five starts over three seasons with the Crimson Tide, recording 37 receptions for 559 yards (15.1 ypr) and six touchdowns. A Mackey Award watch list member as a junior in 2021, he played in all 15 games with one start, registering 17 catches for 256 yards (15.1 ypr) and three touchdowns, including 105 yards and one touchdown on five catches against Southern Miss. The year before, he saw action in 12 games with four starts, pulling in 18 receptions for 287 yards (15.9 ypr) and three touchdowns. He played in nine games as a true freshman in 2019, notching two catches for 16 yards, and participated on special teams all three seasons at Alabama.
A top-five tight end prospect out of Phillips Academy, Billingsley was a first-team 6A All-State selection by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association in 2018. He helped lead Phillips to the Class 5A state championship as a junior and the Class 6A state quarterfinals as a senior.
Jahleel Billingsley
Tight End
6-4 • 230 • Sr.-TR
Chicago, Ill. (Alabama/Phillips Academy)
HS Coach: Troy McAllister
A tight end transfer from Alabama who played in 36 games with five starts over three seasons, recording 37 receptions for 559 yards (15.1 ypr) and six touchdowns … totaled 17 catches for 256 yards and three scores in his 15 games of action, including one start as a junior ... also added one kickoff return for 17 yards ... selected to the Mackey Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation's top tight end … eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career with a team-high 105 receiving yards on five catches with one touchdown … recorded 18 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore with 14 of those receptions going for a first down or touchdown ... 17 of his catches and 274 of his yards came in the final seven games ... added one rush for no gain on offense ... also returned five kickoffs for 89 yards with a long of 27... selected as an offensive player of the week by the Alabama coaching staff for his play against Kentucky after making his first career start and catching three passes for 78 yards (26.0 ypr) … played in nine games as a true freshman in 2019, notching two catches for 16 yards … a top-five prep tight end prospect out of Phillips Academy in Chicago ... participated in Nike's "The Opening" Finals in Frisco, Texas, in 2018 ... named first-team 6A All-State by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association in 2018 ... helped lead Phillips Academy to the Class 5A state championship as a junior in 2017 and the Class 6A state quarterfinals as a senior in 2018 … multi-sport athlete who also participated in basketball in high school.
