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Missouri鈥檚 football program hasn鈥檛 hesitated to pivot and adapt to that shifting climate as evidenced by the 21 incoming transfers added this offseason.

Many programs will undoubtedly display a willingness to approach the portal with a similar level of aggression. They all see the same changing landscape Missouri sees.

For Missouri to set itself apart, it needs a player like graduate transfer safety Jalen Catalon to blossom into a success story. In the end, Catalon鈥檚 success will be Mizzou鈥檚 success for years to come 鈥� like a gift that keeps on giving.

If he flourishes, it will only boost the program鈥檚 future efforts to recruit transfers.

Perhaps the best way to establish yourself as a destination for talented and impactful transfers comes via examples of other talented individuals who鈥檝e been enhanced by your program. If a player thinks his career prospects will be bolstered by his time in your program, you鈥檙e a step ahead of the crowd.

Of course, you might say that sentiment could apply to any of the transfers added by Mizzou.

Except Catalon fits into his own category for a couple key reasons.

First, he鈥檚 not just any transfer. He didn鈥檛 come from a smaller school. He鈥檚 not looking to jump up in level and prove he鈥檚 capable of competing.

No, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound Catalon isn鈥檛 an unknown or a little-known commodity. He鈥檚 known.

In 2020, Catalon earned Freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets, including the Football Writers Association of America. He鈥檚 also been an All-SEC honoree (2020) as well as an All-Mountain West Conference honoree (2024). He鈥檚 twice been a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation鈥檚 top defensive back.

A two-year captain for an SEC program in Arkansas, he started games for a Texas team that went to the College Football Playoff (CFP) in 2023.

What鈥檚 the second reason Catalon鈥檚 success or failure carries an added level of importance?

Because coaching defensive backs, especially the safety position, should be a strength for this Mizzou staff, begining with .

Batoon鈥檚 coaching resume included 11 different programs prior to Mizzou, and he coached safeties or defensive backs as part of his duties at 10 of those schools. That including South Alabama, where he was defensive coordinator/safeties coach prior to joining the Mizzou staff.

Batoon and his staff leaned into that experience in their pursuit of Catalon, who has already been on the field for more than 2,400 snaps as a college player.

鈥淗e bought into that plan that as a fifth-year guy, how much more can I improve,鈥� Batoon said of Catalon. 鈥淭hat was part of the recruiting process, to show him with (safeties coach) Jacob (Yoro) and myself and (grad assistant) Bo (Els) in that room that we can help. There鈥檚 still more left to be able to accomplish. He鈥檚 been awesome.鈥�

And that鈥檚 not just taking Batoon鈥檚 word for it.

Catalon, who considered entering the NFL Draft after last season, pointed to the experience of the staff and their system as part of the reason he decided to come to Mizzou for his final college season.

鈥淚 felt I fit best in the system and what Coach Batoon had for me and what safeties coach Yoro (had), talking with him and (hearing) what he wanted to do for me as well,鈥� Catalon told me during football media day at Mizzou.

鈥淥ther than that, it was just the talent on this team and the shape it was in, knowing that this team had the ability to do really special things, really do great things, be a CFP type team.鈥�

Batoon clearly views Catalon鈥檚 wealth of past experiences as an asset. Mizzou targeted that sort of experience when it sought to replace a trio of senior/grad student safeties in Joseph Charleston, Tre鈥橵ez Johnson and Sidney Williams.

A the same time, Batoon is confident in his staff鈥檚 ability to get more out of Catalon and push him to a higher level of performance.

鈥淚 think from a knowledge standpoint, he has seen a lot of different ways to do it,鈥� Batoon said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no one way to do it or everybody would be doing it that way. But being in three different systems, probably five different coordinators over his time, he鈥檚 been exposed to a lot of different scheme.

鈥淣ow, the goal for him was when he got here 鈥� and he鈥檚 been awesome about that 鈥� is this is how we do things here. He鈥檚 always in the building. So if he doesn鈥檛 understand it, we鈥檙e making cut-ups for him. He鈥檚 going to dive in and figure out exactly, from a footwork standpoint (or) where do I put my eyes. Again, scheme is scheme, but it鈥檚 in the finer details of how we teach things here that he has really embraced.鈥�

Looking down the line, Mizzou could have as many as four seniors starting in the defensive backfield this season, including nickel safety or returning starter at the 鈥渟tar position鈥� Daylan Carnell, Dreyden Norwood, Toriano Pride Jr. and Catalon.

That also means, they鈥檒l likely be looking for more talented defensive backs with strong track records, like Catalon, again this offseason.

The biggest feather in the cap of Batoon and his staff could be Catalon flourishing in his lone season under their tutelage. After all, that鈥檚 what both the player and the staff have bet on in 2025.