Former Arkansas and Texas safety Jalen Catalon has committed to UNLV, per his social media.
The move is low-risk and possibly high-reward in the ultra-talented Catalon, who has been plagued by injuries over the past few seasons, but when healthy has been a standout performer.
A member of the high school recruiting class of 2019, Catalon played in eight games for the Longhorns after transferring from Arkansas. Catalon finished his lone season on the Forty Acres with 17 tackles, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble.
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After an injury-riddled career with the Razorbacks, Catalon missed four games after suffering an undisclosed injury in the team’s 34-30 loss to Oklahoma on Oct. 7. Catalon returned to the field for the team’s 26-16 road win over Iowa State on Nov. 18 and made his final appearance in a Texas uniform in the regular-season finale, a 57-7 romp over Texas Tech on senior night at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Catalon dressed but didn’t play Texas’ 49-21 thrashing of Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game.
In four seasons with the Razorbacks, he saw action in 21 games (16 starts), amassing 159 tackles, 81 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Catalon was named first-team All-SEC in 2020.
After arriving in Austin, Catalon was declared “fully-healthy” by Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian during fall camp and was expected to be a starting safety. However, he was part of a five-man platoon in the back end, with his snaps being reduced towards the end of the season with the emergence of true freshman Derek Williams Jr.
Now at UNLV for his final year of eligibility, Catalon will look to regain his previous form under his former defensive coordinator in Arkansas, Rebels’ head coach Barry Odom.
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