AUBURN, Ala. – From Washington, D.C., to the Plains of Auburn, Alabama, Jalen McLeod has always been driven by an underdog mentality.
Somewhat overlooked because of his size, the now-6-foot-1 McLeod’s first sport was basketball. However, his focus shifted toward football in high school as he got bigger and developed more aggression. He knew he had to play with a certain edge and have a high motor to stand out from the others.
“That’s the reason I go so hard – because I was always undersized and underrated,” McLeod said of his playing style. “Once I realized that if I chase the ball down from 20 yards, that’s going to pop up on film, I haven’t stopped since. I learned that once I take the off-the-field stuff seriously, the on-the-field stuff will come easily.”
Still flying under the radar coming out of high school, McLeod’s first stop on his college football journey took him to Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers gave McLeod his first scholarship offer after he stood out at a practice a couple of coaches attended to see two of his Friendship Collegiate Academy teammates. The offers started to add up as his senior season progressed, but McLeod stayed loyal to Appalachian State because they gave him his first chance.
His three-year stint with the Mountaineers not only resulted in 12.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks in 30 career games played, but also better prepared him to take the next step in his football career.
“The first thing I learned was discipline,” McLeod said of his time at Appalachian State. “In high school, you’re not really disciplined in your daily routine. Going to App State helped me stay disciplined in my nutrition, with my weight training and staying on top of my grades. You’re doing it all on your own at 18. App State taught me discipline because the coaches instilled in us that nobody was bigger than the team.”
Despite his positive experience and development at Appalachian State, McLeod knew he had to bet on himself and his abilities if he wanted the best chance to achieve his ultimate goal of playing in the National Football League.
“I had to leave. I had to elevate my game,” McLeod said. “I knew I could play at the next level even though I was undersized. I knew I had the skill set, the mindset, the talent to play in the SEC. I just took that leap of faith.”