Former Arkansas DB Jalen Catalon Could Be "Missing Link" For Texas In 2023

Jalen Catalon could be a difference-maker for Texas' defense in 2023.

Jalen Catalon once considered the Texas Longhorns his "dream destination" when coming out of Mansfield Legacy High School in 2019. Sometimes the road more traveled will provide better results in the end. 

Catalon announced Monday that he would be transferring to Texas for his final season of eligibility. The former Arkansas safety elected to enter the portal after another injured-plagued season in Fayetville. 

When healthy, Catalon has the skills to be one of the more dangerous playmakers in both coverage and against the run. A three-year starter for the Razorbacks, Catalton registered 159 tackles and five interceptions over 21 games from 2020-22. 

Injuries, however, will be the biggest concern to his career moving forward. Prior to the start of the regular season, Catalon was considered by some as a fringe first-round talent. Despite coming off a shoulder injury that limited him to six games in 2021, scouts loved his physical demeanor and run-stopping skills near the line of scrimmage. 

After Week 1, Catalon never played another for the Hogs following another shoulder injury that required reconstructive surgery. Since 2020, the senior has missed 21 games due to wear and tear on the body. 

Even before arriving in the SEC, Catalton's physical play caused him to miss time. During his high school senior season, he suffered a torn ACL. Once on campus, Catalon sustained multiple shoulder injuries and played most of the 2021 season with a broken hand. 

Still, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is betting on Catalon's upside rather than his laundry list of injury concerns. When healthy, he's a sideline-to-sideline playmaker who consistently finds bodies to lay down in the open field.

Experience is one thing. Pedigree is another. Teammates voted on Catalon before the start of the 2022 season as one of the team captains for his efforts on and off the field. Razorbacks' coach Sam Pittman spoke highly of Catalon's character and understood his reasoning for entering the portal following the season. 

"I just think he wants a fresh start. I talked to him about, if he was going to leave here, if he wanted my advice, I would just declare for the NFL and give it that type of chance," Pittman told reporters following the season finale loss to Missouri. "But he had a different view on it, and whatever he wants to do we’ll be fine with it.”

Should Catalon's health be a non-factor, the Longhorns will likely give him a chance to start opposite Jerrian Thompson in place of Anthony Cook for the 2023 season. Cook, who finished with 61 tackles and five pass breakups, used up his final year of eligibility this past fall. 

Texas is still in fine shape at the safety position even if Catalon were to miss time. Michael Taaffe and Kitan Crawford both earned playing time with the first-team defense throughout the regular season due to injury. Taaffe, a walk-on from Austin Westlake, totaled 26 tackles in 2022 while Crawford tacked on 25, including a career-best seven stops in the Longhorns' 41-34 win over Oklahoma State. 

In a sense, Catalon could be viewed as an "extra coach" for the safety room. Experience should allow him to garner meaningful reps, but his knowledge of the game could benefit young prospects looking to become the face of the program moving forward. 

The Longhorns have added four safety prospects in their previous two recruiting cycles, including SI All-American's No. 32 recruit Derek Williams from New Iberia (La.). 

Last season, Texas finished 90th nationally in pass coverage, allowing opponents to average 241.3 yards per game. The Longhorns allowed 18 touchdowns in coverage and forced 10 interceptions, five of which came from linebackers Jaylan Ford and Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey. 

Should Catalon remain healthy through a full season, he'll remain a factor in third-year defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s quarters-match coverage scheme. And maybe a change for both sides is what the doctor ordered on the Forty Acres for next year after all? 

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