Jalen McLeod broke out as an SEC pass rusher after transferring from Appalachian State to Auburn, only to have his rookie NFL season wiped out by injury.
Jalen McLeod arrived in Jacksonville as a sixth-round pick out of Auburn after a college career that took him from the Sun Belt to the SEC. An ankle injury suffered in training camp cost him his entire rookie season, so his real NFL debut is still ahead of him as he enters year two with the Jaguars.
Path to the league
McLeod began his college career at Appalachian State, earning third-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2022 with 41 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He transferred to Auburn for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, where he set career highs as a senior with 57 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks, showing he could hold up against SEC competition before Jacksonville drafted him 194th overall in 2025.
Career highlights
Across his college career at Appalachian State and Auburn, McLeod totaled 183 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, six passes defensed and six forced fumbles in 54 games. His versatility to line up as an edge rusher or off-ball linebacker made him a productive piece of Auburn's front seven in his final season.
2025 season recap
McLeod's rookie season never got off the ground. An ankle injury suffered during training camp landed him on injured reserve during roster cutdowns, and he remained sidelined the entire year despite the Jaguars opening his practice window late in the season. He was ruled out for Jacksonville's Week 18 game and heads into 2026 essentially making his true NFL debut.
Sources
- Jaguars.com: Jalen McLeod
- ESPN: Jalen McLeod
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Auburn
- Hometown
- Washington, DC, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
