Jahleel Billingsley

Jahleel Billingsley is an American football tight end for the Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference.

Jahleel Billingsley
Alabama Crimson Tide – No. 19
PositionTight end
ClassJunior
Personal information
Born: (2001-05-17) May 17, 2001
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career history
College
Bowl games
High schoolPhillips Academy
(Chicago, Illinois)
Career highlights and awards

Early life and high school

Billingsley grew up in Chicago, Illinois and attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School, where he played football and basketball.[1][2] He played multiple positions for the Wildcats including tight end, receiver, wildcat quarterback and defensive line.[3] Billingsley was rated a four-star prospect and committed to play college football at Alabama over offers from Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan and Ohio State.[4] He was the first Alabama recruit from the state of Illinois since 1997.[5]

College career

Bilingsley played in nine games with two receptions for 16 yards as a freshman.[6][7] He caught 18 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Tide won the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship.[3][8] Billingsley also led the team with 89 kick return yards.[9]

Billingsley was moved down the depth chart prior to the start of the 2021 season.[10] When coach Nick Saban was asked about it after the team’s first game against Miami, he said Saban said, “Jahleel and I have talked on several occasions because he’s certainly a guy that we want to have success for his own benefit individually, as well as for the team. Sometime when you get a little external encouragement it can be a positive for you.”[11][12] Billingsley caught a 26-yard touchdown pass in the Crimson Tide's 31-29 win in Week 3 over 11th-ranked Florida and returned to the starting lineup the following game against Southern Miss.[13]

References
  1. "Phillips' Jahleel Billingsley rolling with Crimson Tide". Chicago Sun-Times. December 30, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  2. Suttles, Aaron (December 1, 2020). "Jahleel Billingsley emerges as another weapon for Alabama to create mismatches". The Athletic. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  3. "Locals Jahleel Billingsley, Tuf Borland meet again in College Football Playoff championship". Chicago Sun-Times. January 10, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  4. "Phillips TE Jahleel Billingsley becomes first local player to commit to Alabama in at least 20 years". Chicago Tribune. July 6, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  5. "Phillips' Jahleel Billingsley — Alabama's first recruit from Illinois since 1997 — is a 'big-time talent'". Chicago Tribune. July 21, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  6. Casagrande, Michael (December 2, 2020). "Alabama and the quest to solve the TE challenge while unleashing one of its own". AL.com. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  7. "Jahleel Billingsley: 5 things to know about the Alabama Crimson Tide football tight end". Tuscaloosa News. December 19, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  8. Myerberg, Paul (April 16, 2021). "Alabama football lost some star power, so watching national champions try to repeat will be fascinating". USA Today. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  9. Rodak, Mike (December 29, 2020). "Tight end Jahleel Billingsley is Alabama's unlikely leader in kick-return yardage". AL.com. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  10. "Saban again has sharp words for Jahleel Billingsley". al. August 21, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  11. "Nick Saban discusses viral sideline moment with Jahleel Billingsley". Saturday Down South. September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  12. Kelly, Nick. "What Alabama's Nick Saban said about his sideline conversation with TE Jahleel Billingsley". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  13. "Alabama football gave a peek at its secret weapon against Southern Miss, and just at the right time". Tuscaloosa News. September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.