Jaylon Carlies: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files

After a position change from high school to college, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Jaylon Carlies will switch positions again as he realizes his NFL dream.

Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (1) and defensive lineman Johnny Walker Jr. (15) react during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Every football player has their favorite position on the field.

Most players would admit their position is their favorite; otherwise, they would not be playing it. Others prefer another position but cannot play it due to their size and skill. Some players are so athletically gifted they can play multiple positions and still find success.

But when it comes down to it, most will play any position asked of them. As long as they are winning football games, nothing else matters.

This is "Rookie Files," a series on Horseshoe Huddle that gives you the backstory of every rookie for the Indianapolis Colts. Going player by player, we look at their journeys to the NFL and what makes each unique while also detailing how they help the Colts. Next up, Jaylon Carlies, whose versatility took him from offense in high school to defense in college, and who will experience another position switch in the NFL.

From Record-Breaking WR to Defensive Prospect

West Orange Jaylon Carlies (white jersey) runs away from Wekiva defensive back Jamari Jones (bottom) during the West Orange High at Wekiva High football game in Apopka on Nov. 9. / Stephen M. Dowell-Orlando Sentinel

Carlies was born on September 13, 2001, in Orlando, Fla. Carlies grew up less fortunate than most, leading him to spend time in the Wake Up Mentoring program. Founded by Dante Johnson, Wake Up Mentoring is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping socially and economically at-risk youths become leaders in their community through education and pairing them with a mentor.

With Johnson as his mentor, Carlies found football at a young age. He began playing at the Pop Warner level and immediately fell in love with the game. Football became an outlet for Carlies to use his talents for good and helped keep him away from the dangerous parts of the community.

Through the years of Pop Warner and youth football, Carlies became a very talented player and showed great promise on the 2015 Pop Warner Unlimited National Championship team. He enrolled at Olympia High School as a freshman, and it did not take long for Carlies to begin receiving snaps on varsity. His early success in high school opened the door for potentially playing football at the next level.

Carlies transferred to West Orange High School as a sophomore, hoping to make a name for himself at a higher-profile school. Carlies was a wide receiver and a pretty good one at that. He would set the school record for most receiving yards in a game with 241.

Carlies also excelled on the track team at West Orange. The versatile athlete finished second in the long jump at the 2019 state championships while posting personal best times in the 100 and 200-meter races.

As Carlies entered his senior season on the gridiron, some perspective colleges saw him as a defensive prospect due to his size and athleticism. To maximize every opportunity to make it to the next level, Carlies went to his coaches asking to play wide receiver and safety. Playing both ways would be a huge undertaking, but Carlies was determined to make it out of Orange County.

Playing wide receiver and safety paid off for Carlies, as he became a two-way star for West Orange. After a stellar senior year, Carlies ranked as a three-star recruit and the No.63 athlete in the class of 2019.

The offers began to pour in from Division I programs, as schools like Maryland, Cincinnati, and Marshall all wanted Carlies. He even received an offer from Miami (FL), his favorite team growing up. But the only school to offer him as a defensive player was Missouri, who saw Carlies going through defensive drills during summer practices and saw his potential at safety.

It was a hard decision to turn down the school he rooted for his entire childhood, but after visiting the Missouri campus, Carlies committed to play for the Tigers. He felt Missouri was the best program for him despite needing to move to defensive back full-time.

Little did Carlies know that this would not be the last time he would have to switch positions.

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The Cornerback to Safety Transition

LSU Tigers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. (6) catches a pass as Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (17) defends during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Carlies, the No.10 recruit in the Tigers' 2020 recruiting class, started his freshman year learning cornerback, a position he had never played. His college roommate was Ennis Rakestraw Jr., another cornerback for the Tigers and a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The two pushed each other to get better, and Carlies leaned on Rakestraw as he learned the ins and outs of the position.

While Carlies spent most of his time in high school as a wide receiver, he was now going up against them every day in practice. As he learned to play corner, Carlies saw action in 10 games as a true freshman. By the end of Missouri's COVID-shortened season, Carlies had started two games at cornerback, including the last two, racking up eight total tackles.

Carlies was starting to grasp the cornerback position when he met another change. Missouri hired a new defensive staff led by defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Wilks needed to find a replacement for starting safety Tyree Gillespie, who had departed Mizzou for the NFL draft.

Wilks thought of Carlies immediately. His size and athleticism, combined with his experience at safety, was a perfect fit. Wilks brought the idea to Carlies during spring ball, and after thinking it over, Carlies was in. Whatever the team needed, he was ready to answer the call.

“Just having the mindset that wherever coaches want me to play, I have to play it,” Carlies told PowerMizzou. “...At this point it’s just, if they need me to play corner, I’ll be a corner. If they need me to play safety, I’ll be there. Just making sure I’m open to doing anything."

The move from cornerback to safety paid off for Carlies. He immediately entered the starting lineup as a sophomore and displayed tremendous playmaking ability. He finished the 2021 campaign with 68 tackles, three tackles for loss, a team-lead four interceptions, four pass deflections, and a forced fumble.

2022 saw much of the same for Carlies, asserting himself as one of the top defenders for the Tigers. Carlies led the team in tackles (81) and interceptions (three) while adding four tackles for loss, seven pass deflections, a sack, and a forced fumble.

Carlies rounded out a great college career by leading the Tigers' defense and helping Mizzou finish 11-2 on the season. Carlies led the team in tackles again with 64, adding 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, two interceptions, and six pass deflections. Staying open to whatever the team needed of him allowed Carlies to experience great success with the Tigers.

Now, Carlies set his sights on the NFL draft, a reality that did not seem possible when he arrived at Mizzou. Just like when he headed to college, another change was coming.

The NFL Brings More Change

Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) is pressured by Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (1) in the first half at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 8, 2022. / Doug Engle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carlies began his pre-draft process by accepting an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl. It was a chance to get in front of NFL coaches and scouts and play against NFL-caliber players.

From there, Carlies participated in all the testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. Working out with the defensive backs, the nearly 6-3 and 227-pound Carlies put up impressive numbers as he showed off his athleticism (8.26 RAS). A 4.5 40-yard dash and 10-5 broad jump backed up the speed and explosiveness he had shown on film the last three seasons with the Tigers.

After the combine, Carlies made a few visits with teams across the country. Some teams envisioned another position switch for Carlies, this time to linebacker. Because of his size and tackling ability, Carlies seemed better suited to play down in the box at the NFL level. And while he was a safety at Mizzou, coming down and playing closer to the line of scrimmage was not foreign to Carlies.

"In terms of our schemes that we were running (at Missouri), it seemed like my role (was to) come down to being more of like an outside linebacker in certain coverages," Carlies explained. "Just depending on who we played as well. If we ran (into) a lot of run-heavy teams, then I probably had a lot more outside linebacker position plays going on."

Linebackers in the NFL have to be able to cover these days, as they will find themselves matched up with tight ends and even wide receivers. Having the skill set to do that and the willingness to play any position makes Carlies more enticing as a prospect.

And a perfect target for the Colts, who came into the 2024 NFL Draft with a need for a coverage linebacker. So, with the No.151 pick, Indy turned in the card, making Carlies a Colt. One of the first things general manager Chris Ballard told Carlies on the phone was the team would be switching him to linebacker, meaning another position change. To no one's surprise, Carlies was all for it.

"Just having this opportunity in general, it's really a blessing to me," Carlies revealed after the draft. "They just took a chance on me and I'm (going to) make sure I pay them back whatever way I can."

How Carlies Helps the Colts

Missouri Tigers defensive back Jaylon Carlies (1) tackles Memphis Tigers wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee (0) during the fourth quarter at The Dome at America's Center. / Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts have a history of converting players to different positions than they played in college. Carlies will be the next player to do so, potentially landing him a future starting role with the team.

While he was a safety for the Tigers, Carlies played all over the formation on defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Carlies logged 299 snaps at free safety, 153 as a box defender, and 141 in the slot last season.

At nearly 6-3 and 229 pounds, Carlies has the body type of a linebacker in the Colts' defense. His athletic profile also fits what the Colts covet in their linebackers. His speed and explosiveness will serve him well, displaying his ability to cover sideline to sideline.

The Colts have experience converting safeties to linebackers, dating back to the 2000s, one of the winningest eras of any organization in NFL history. In 2003, the Colts took safety Cato June from Michigan and transitioned him from safety to linebacker. It worked out just fine for June.

June was such a dangerous linebacker due to his coverage ability over the middle. He could line up on tight ends, running backs, and even slot receivers, and former Colts' head coach Tony Dungy had faith June would get the job done.

The Colts drafted Carlies for the same reason they did June in 2003. They believe he can immediately add a coverage element to their linebacker room that has been sorely missed.

Carlies will likely start as a core special teams player for the Colts while contributing on obvious passing downs on defense. Carlies will also have June to lean on throughout this process, as the former linebacker currently serves as the Colts assistant linebackers coach. Having June and linebackers coach and run game coordinator Richard Smith in his corner, expectations are high for Carlies and his potential impact on the defense.

From Zaire Franklin to Bobby Okereke to E.J. Speed, the Colts have a knack for finding diamonds in the rough at the linebacker position. Even with his fourth position change on the horizon, do not bet against Carlies becoming the next one.

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