Catalon earns Arkansas's fourth SEC defensive player of the week award

In the midst of a 3-3 All-SEC season, Arkansas has broken a program record. The SEC named redshirt freshman safety Jalen Catalon the defensive player of the week for his performance against Tennessee, making him the fourth defensive player to win the award this season–a single-season record.

Catalon joins co-DPOW honorees Joe Foucha and Bumper Pool who won after the Mississippi State game and Grant Morgan who won it after the victory against Ole Miss. Hudson Clark also won freshman player of the week after three interceptions in the Ole Miss game, making it five awards through six games.

Arkansas has only received DPOW honors three weeks in a season four times prior to this year–1998, 2000, 2003 and 2010.

Catalon was the second-highest graded safety in the SEC on Saturday, posting a 77.2 on PFF in 74 snaps. He tallied 12 tackles (six solo), an interception to close out the game and a forced fumble.

Ten of the former 4-stars tackles were recorded in the first quarter. Catalon helped limit Tennessee to 107 passing yards, their lowest total since 2017.

This season, Catalon has posted three 10+ tackle performances and leads the team with 36 solo tackles while ranking third in total tackles (58). Since 2000, the defensive back’s 58 total tackles are the most by an SEC freshman through the season’s first six games. He is the only FBS freshman to record 50+ stops and multiple interceptions this season.

Sam Pittman has called Catalon the most important piece to his defense, and his absence showed clearly in the loss against Texas A&M.

Catalon, a Texas native, redshirted his first year on the Hill after playing less than 30 snaps and getting surgery on his shoulder to finish the season.

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