Football adds Catalon to 2023 newcomers

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football has added defensive back Jalen Catalon, a transfer from Arkansas and native of Mansfield, Texas, as the 28th member of the Longhorns' 2023 class of newcomers.

Catalon has enrolled at Texas for the spring semester and will be listed as a senior for the 2023 season with the potential of two years of eligibility remaining that includes the NCAA's allowance for an additional year due to COVID.

Catalon played in 21 games with 16 starts during his career at Arkansas, amassing 159 tackles, 81 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 14 passes defended, and three forced fumbles.

A preseason All-America candidate each of the last two seasons, he was limited to one game in 2022 and six in 2021 due to injury. As a sophomore in 2021, he started the Razorbacks' first six games and finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss despite playing less than half the season.

As a redshirt freshman in 2020, Catalon was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), and a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press. He played in all 10 games and started nine at strong safety, logging 99 total tackles, a team-leading 51 solo stops, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, four passes broken up, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles. His 9.9 tackles per game tied for the FBS freshman lead and ranked fourth overall in the SEC, and he was the only FBS freshman to post at least 95 tackles and three interceptions during the regular season. He was also the first SEC freshman since 2007 (Eric Berry, Tennessee) to post at least 86 tackles with three interceptions.

Catalon played in four games as a true freshman for Arkansas in 2019 after arriving as a standout performer at both defensive back and quarterback at Mansfield Legacy High School in Texas. At Legacy, he played in one game as a senior in 2018 before an injury forced him to miss the rest of the season, however he was a key member on both sides of the ball as a junior in 2017, leading the team to the 5A Division 2 semifinals and a 12-3 overall record. On defense, he racked up 101 tackles, including 70 solo and six for a loss, three interceptions, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. On offense, he passed the 1,000 yards both through the air and on the ground, throwing for 1,122 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,064 yards and 13 scores. He earned four 2017 Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Dallas Morning News, The Fort Worth Star Telegram, Associated Press and District 10-5A. As a sophomore in 2016, Catalon was credited with 183 total tackles, including 139 solo and seven for loss, with nine interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Jalen Catalon
Defensive Back
5-10 • 201 • Sr.-TR
Mansfield, Texas (Arkansas/Mansfield Legacy)
HS Coach: Jeff Hulme

A transfer defensive back from Arkansas … played in 21 games, starting 16, during his career with the Razorbacks from 2019-22 … amassed 159 tackles, 81 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 14 passes defended, and three forced fumbles … started the 2022 season opener against Cincinnati and recorded eight tackles and one pressure prior to being injured and missing the rest of the season … chosen Preseason First-Team All-America by Phil Steele in 2022 … started the first six games of 2021 before being sidelined by a season-ending injury … still finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups, which tied for third on the team … carded double-digit tackles (11), including a tackle for loss, and a career-high two interceptions in the season opener against Rice … recorded eight total tackles and a pass deflection against Texas … made nine tackles and registered two pass breakups against Georgia Southern … notched seven tackles at Georgia … accumulated nine tackles, a half tackle for a loss and a pass breakup at Ole Miss … named a 2021 Preseason Second-Team All-American by the Associated Press … earned a spot on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list in 2021 … played in all 10 games and started nine at strong safety in 2020 … named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award … tabbed to the All-SEC First Team by the AP and second team by the coaches … earned Freshman All-American honors from the FWAA and The Athletic … garnered Phil Steele Third-Team All-American recognition … logged 99 total tackles, a team-leading 51 solo stops, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, four passes broken up, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles … tied for the team lead in interceptions and ranked third in total tackles … averaged 9.9 tackles per game, which tied for the FBS freshman lead and was fourth among all SEC defenders … only FBS freshman to post at least 95 tackles and at least three interceptions during the regular season … first SEC freshman since 2007 (Eric Berry, Tennessee) to post at least 86 tackles with three picks … first SEC freshman since 2012 to record 70-plus tackles with three or more interceptions … finished with nine tackles while also forcing a fumble in his first career start against Georgia … logged 13 tackles at Mississippi State … led the team with 14 tackles at No. 13 Auburn … recorded his first career interception, returning it 35 yards for a touchdown, and also registered nine tackles and a forced fumble against Ole Miss … became the first SEC player to log at least nine tackles with an interception return for a touchdown and a forced fumble since 2000 … named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and the Jim Thorpe Award Player of the Week for his 12 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble against Tennessee … made 12 tackles and recorded an interception for the second straight game and broke up a career-high two passes at No. 6 Florida … became the first Razorback to intercept a pass in back-to-back games since at least 1997 … made a career-high 16 tackles against LSU, recording his third straight 10-plus tackle game … recorded his sixth 10-plus tackle game of the season, making 10 stops against No. 1 Alabama … totaled five games of 12 or more tackles, ranking second nationally behind teammate Grant Morgan … played in four games as a true freshman in 2019 … appeared in games against Ole Miss, San Jose State, Kentucky and Western Kentucky … tallied six tackles, three solo, with a PBU and a forced fumble against Western Kentucky … played high school football at Mansfield Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas and was a four-year varsity letterwinner … ranked No. 20 in the nation at the safety position by Rivals … rated 29th overall in the state of Texas according to 247Sports … played in one game as a senior in 2018 before an injury forced him to miss the rest of the season … a key member on both sides of the ball for the Broncos in 2017, starting at safety and quarterback … earned four 2017 Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Dallas Morning News, The Fort Worth Star Telegram, Associated Press and District 10-5A … racked up 101 tackles, including 70 solo stops and six tackles for loss, three interceptions, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries on the defensive as a junior … on offense, passed for 1,122 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,064 yards and 13 scores … helped Legacy to a 12-3 overall record and an appearance in the Class 5A Division 2 semifinals in 2017 … credited with 183 total tackles, 139 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, nine interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2016 … also lettered in basketball and baseball.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics