Jalen Catalon is Leading By Example in Mizzou Locker Room

One of Missouri's most recent transfer additions appears to be making a quick impact for the Tigers.

Jul 20, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Arkansas player Jalen Catalon is interviewed during SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Daylan Carnell is no longer the old man in Missouri's safety room. In fact, he now has the pleasure of calling one of Missouri's recent transfer additions "old."

That guy is 24-year-old transfer Jalen Catalon. He's one of the longest-tenured college football athletes in the country and he's now bringing that experience to Columbia, Missouri.

Catalon is already showing what type of leader he can be in his very short time with the team. Between some early practices and the team's summer trip to Harmons, Jamaica, it's very clear already why Catalon is one of the most respected veterans in college football.

“He doesn't talk much, but when he does talk, everybody listens just because of what he's done, the experience he brings to the defense,” Carnell said in a recent interview with Missouri On SI.

The former Texas, UNLV and Arkansas defensive back is more of a lead-by-example leader, but has a powerful voice when he does. It also seems that he has a good personality that his teammates are quickly getting used to.

“He's just one of those guys that everybody is listening to when he speaks,” Carnell said. “I love being around him. I've learned stuff from him, and I'm an older guy, so I know a lot of the younger guys are definitely taking a lot from him.”

Oct 7, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Jalil Farooq (3) makes a catch as Texas Longhorns defensive back Jalen Catalon (11) defends during the first half at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The veteran is also helping out the younger players on the team. A lot of what he does could very easily rub off on younger players without even trying to do so.

One of the Tigers' best young players is already picking up a lot from Catalon. He's someone who could break out as soon as this season, so having a veteran presence like Catalon around could expedite that process.

“He brings a lot of knowledge to the game, obviously, playing football for that long, he just brings a lot of knowledge and just he helps us understand how much we need to take care of our bodies, how much film we need to watch, what we need to look for off the field and on the field,” sophomore safety Trajen Greco said.

Outside of his knowledge of the game, Catalon brings plenty of versatility. He can get to the quarterback, tackle with ease and drop back in coverage. There really isn't anything that Catalon doesn't do well.

“Anytime that you have that kind of versatility, it really allows us to be able to play with the lineup and be able to get the best three guys on the field,” safeties coach Jacob Yoro said.

The versatility that he brings to the table is somewhat unseen. His combination of on-the-field skills, along with his experience throughout his seven years and his locker room ability, doesn't come around all that often.

His ability to do practically everything has been a staple of his game since he started in college. There's no reason this should fall off, especially when he's playing against high-level competition.

“Those are things that have been attributes of him for a long time and coach Batoon and I are looking to take advantage of those traits,” Yoro said.

He's helped multiple players so far adapt and learn new things to improve their game. He has plenty to teach as a true safety, but Catalon's also aided in another Tiger veteran's off-the-field improvement.

Carnell has learned how to recover better since Catalon has come around. Carnell isn't the only player to say this, as well. It's a good habit to pick up on, especially for Carnell, who could be on his way to the NFL after the season.

“He's always up there taking care of his body,” Carnell said. “That's, that's something I've started to take from him.”

On a less serious note, multiple players on the Missouri defense, if not all of them, make it known that Catalon is old. They love to throw some jokes his way to remind him of his age, but it's in a loving way.

“We all give him a hard time, but at the end of the day, he’s a great addition to our team. So it doesn't really matter,” Greco said.

Missouri's struck gold with Catalon, who has a chance to be one of the best at his position in the SEC. He'll impact the Tigers in more ways than one. In fact, he already has.

Even if Catalon isn't the most vocal leader, everyone follows his example. The impact he leaves on this Missouri team should be very clear by the time the season is done