Texas impresses Rivals250 safety Jalen Catalon on recent visit

Mansfield Legacy safety Jalen Catalon is one of the country’s top prospects, and schools from around the country are recruiting the four-star talent. A member of the Rivals250, Catalon is also a standout on the diamond, and last weekend he spent some time on the Texas campus getting a close look at both the football and baseball programs.

“It was good. It went well,” Catalon said of the unofficial visit. “I went with (safeties) coach (Craig) Naivar to the baseball fields, watched the baseball game, really got to see the environment. It was great to see that and everything.”

It was Catalon’s first time to see a Texas baseball game and though the Longhorns weren’t exactly playing a perennial power in their match-up with Kansas, Catalon said he was impressed by the overall atmosphere.

“For a game like that, Kansas was competitive, but to see an environment like that was impressive. There was a lot of people there, supporting them, the capacity of the game, the hype of the game, they were all there,” Catalon said. “It shows the fan base of Texas, it doesn’t matter the sport, everyone is going to be there supporting them. It definitely caught my eye on that.”

Catalon has his sights on potentially playing two sports in college, and Texas has told him it’s open to the idea of him trying his hand at both football and baseball.

“They’re saying if I go there, it’s open for me to do that, they’re 100 percent on that. The football coaches have said they will talk to (the baseball coaches) and work it out,” Catalon said. “It’s definitely nice to have that, opens up my options. I’ve heard it’s hard, but it’s something I’m definitely thinking about and talking to my family about. It’s definitely nice to have a school as prestigious as Texas talking to me about that.”

During his campus visit, Catalon said he saw head coach Tom Herman for a bit but spent most of his time with Naivar, who would be his position coach should he choose the Longhorns. The two have developed a strong relationship over the course of Catalon’s recruitment, and last weekend’s visit only strengthened their bond.

“He’s a really great guy, a down to earth person. It was nice talking to him. He’s a football coach, but it’s also about life with him,” Catalon said. “He’ll talk to you about football, then before you know it he’s talking to you about relationship, telling funny stories. It’s nice to have a coach that lives on the edge of both sides, knows football but will also catch up about life. I have a really good relationship with him. He’s definitely a great coach to be around and talk to.”

As of now, Catalon doesn’t have any other visits planned, although he said he’ll probably take some more this spring and will definitely hit some campuses in the summer. Texas could get a return visit this spring, he said.

“I’ll probably wait until fall to take my official visits to take in games, breathe in the atmosphere. Texas will get an official visit from me, for sure,” Catalon said.

Along with Texas, Catalon said Clemson and Ohio State will get official visits. He’s still trying to sort out his other two.

Catalon doesn’t have a pecking order or one particular school leading the pack, but did say Clemson, Texas, TCU, Ohio State, Arkansas and Oklahoma are schools standing out. When it comes time to eventually make a decision, he said it will come down to the overall feel he gets from each program.

“Of course, it’ll just be the environment, does it fit me as a person? Football is great to have, but you have to look at yourself as a person, that’s when the environment comes in. Is this a school I can see myself at, bonding with friends and society? That’s definitely something I’ll look at, see at which school I have the best opportunity to grow as a football player, academically and as a person,” Catalon said. “Of course at Texas, I kind of breathed that in, the people were really nice, welcoming, it’s not too far from home also. That’s definitely something I like, but all the schools have a possibility with me. All those top schools are definitely in play. There’s no one that is really standing out.”