The Missouri Pro Day drew heavy attention from NFL scouts eager to evaluate prospects like Zion Young, Josiah Trotter, and Kevin Coleman Jr., but one notable player was absent: Jalen Catalon, who reportedly informed teams that he is retiring from football.
According to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports, Catalon, a former Missouri safety, has decided to hang up his cleats after dealing with a series of significant injuries throughout his career.
He had been projected as a late Day 3 draft pick prior to his retirement announcement.
Catalon’s journey included stops at Arkansas, Texas, and UNLV before finishing his college career with the Tigers.
After earning All-SEC honors as a redshirt freshman at Arkansas in 2020, he suffered season-ending injuries in both 2021 and 2022 and was never fully able to regain his form. Last season at Missouri, he recorded 39 tackles.
For Catalon, questions of “what could have been” will linger. Without the string of bad luck with injuries, he might have been in the conversation for a first- or second-round draft pick.
Ultimately, health issues prevented him from reaching his full potential, and he now plans to pursue opportunities outside of football.
Meanwhile, other Tigers impressed scouts during the Pro Day. Kevin Coleman Jr., projected as a Day 3 pick due to his slot versatility and special teams skill, drew praise from New England Patriots EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, recording a 40-yard dash as fast as 4.38 seconds.
Zion Young, a potential first-round pick, weighed in at 267 pounds—five pounds heavier than at the combine—and ran a 4.77 40-yard dash, showing readiness to anchor Missouri’s defensive edge.
