Texas Football: 2 Longhorns defensive backs enter the transfer portal

Jalen Catalon, S

The most significant portal departure for the Longhorns on Dec. 4 is senior safety and former Arkansas Razorbacks transfer Jalen Catalon. CJ Vogel of TFB Texas reported on Dec. 4 that Catalon entered the transfer portal after spending less than one full season at Texas.

Catalon reportedly had his locker cleaned out earlier in the day after being unable to appear for the Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game last weekend.

Due to various injury issues, Catalon missed a good portion of the 2023 season. He’s had health issues throughout his collegiate career between his time at Texas and Arkansas. The last time Catalon played for the Longhorns was in the regular season finale on Nov. 24 against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at DKR.

The biggest stretch of games Catalon missed due to injury issues was after he suffered a lower-body ailment in the Red River Rivalry game against the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas on Oct. 7. Catalon missed the next four games after Red River due to a leg injury. He then re-aggravated a shoulder injury in Texas’s win on the road in Ames on Nov. 18 against the Iowa State Cyclones after playing just six defensive snaps.

Altogether, Catalon played 142 defensive snaps over eight games for Texas this season before entering the transfer portal on Dec. 4, where he registered 17 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble.

Catalon was in his first season at Texas after the Longhorns nabbed him out of the portal last offseason. He spent four years at Arkansas before transferring to Texas last offseason.

With Catalon in the transfer portal, safeties coach Blake Gideon and the Longhorns will continue to rotate true freshman Derek Williams Jr., redshirt sophomore Michael Taaffe, senior Jerrin Thompson, and senior Kitan Crawford at safety in the College Football Playoff.