2019 DB Jalen Catalon talks Big 12 offers, Clemson

Mansfield, Texas, defensive back Jalen Catalon has quietly been one bigger targets in the state’s 2019 class, but he’s in no hurry to make any big decisions.

This spring, Catalon said that Clemson, Oklahoma and TCU have been among the teams he’s felt the most interest from. Despite keeping busy with baseball over the past few months as well, Catalon also picked up offers from North Texas and Southern Miss.

Diminutive may be too strong of a word to describe Catalon, who has been a consistent playmaker and big-hitter for his Legacy High School team, but it’s clear that his talent supersedes his height when it comes to college programs’ collective opinion of him.

“Most coaches look at my film and they really like it,” he said. “They see my appearance and know that I’m not a 6-3, 6-2 dude, but I don’t let that bother me. I just play my game, be confident, and trust in the abilities that God has blessed me with … the colleges that me and say ‘we don’t care if you’re 5-10, we like your ability and want you here’ are the ones I know like me best.”

On Clemson, where he plans on visiting June 15

“Clemson is really high on my list when it comes to my offers right now,” he said. “What’s stuck with me isn’t just the national championship, but the relationship they build with their players - I know they take care of them and that’s kind of what I want. You want a coaching staff that is going to care about you as a person as well.”

On what Clemson needs to do to overcome not being as close as other offered schools

“I just think about if football was taken away from me, would I still be happy at that school,” he said. “Would I still feel at home or welcome there? Clemson is a really great university and just by talking to them, seeing what they do with their players, it’s just good to know about their personality and just going down the road they’ll always be in the picture.”

On Oklahoma, where plans to visit June 29

“If I had to choose a school that I have talked to most in the spring, it would have to be Oklahoma,” he said. “I love Coach Kerry Cooks and the defensive coordinator, Mike Stoops. They’re just cool guys, they understand what’s going on and are pretty cool.”

His impressions of OU after visiting there earlier this spring

“I went up there to catch a practice and just to see the whole facility,” he said. “They have been repairing it, but I got to see the new technology and the new rooms they are putting in there.”

On TCU, where his cousin attends

“TCU is definitely close to home, which will be good if I want to stay close to my family,” he said. “They definitely make it feel like home. Even though it’s close, you don’t have to worry about anything. Just being around the coaches, seeing the relationship they have with each other and the fact that they offered me this early shows how much they want to add my talents.”

On his relationship with TCU defensive assistant Zarnell Fitch

“He’s an awesome dude too,” he said. “He’s been through it all - he’s been through the same things we’ve been through so he knows everything, the whole lifestyle, so it’s been nice just to talk to him and get to know him.”

Catalon is enjoying taking his time with his recruitment and has no plans for any sort of early commitment but he’s sure to hear all kinds of advice from his family. In addition to his cousin at TCU, his mother attended Oklahoma.

“I’m going to commit on National Signing Day of my senior year,” he said. “I was just take as much time as I need, not make any early decisions, just take time to figure out which college I want. In my head I might have a college I’m liking, but anything can happen and you don’t want to commit too early that could affect you in the future.”

In addition to the three previously mentioned schools, Catalon said that Missouri and SMU are also teams actively involved in recruiting him. Missouri was his first offer and he hopes to visit both in the summer.