Arkansas head coach Chad Morris has dished out a great deal of praise regarding several of the signees in his 2019 recruiting class, but no recruit has received quite the level of adulation as Mansfield (Texas) Legacy safety Jalen Catalon.

The industry generated 247Sports Composite Ranking places Catalon as the No. 305 overall recruit in the nation, the No. 26 safety prospect and the No. 38 senior in the Lone Star State. While that is a solid 4-star ranking that any recruit should be proud of, Morris has a much higher opinion.

“One of the top high school football players I think I’ve never seen, top five for sure,” Morris said. “Fantastic player, played safety and can play a lot of different positions. I’ve been watching high school football for a very long time and recruiting for a very long time and this young man is one of the best that I’ve seen. Can play a lot of positions.

“I think the one word I would say more than anything is extremely instinctive and he loves to play the game,” he said. “I've watched Deshaun Watson play, seen Vince Young play. There's been some great ones that we've seen, and I'd have to go back and think of some more, but he's up there. He's very instinctive, especially when you see what he's having to do in all phases - offense, defensively. He plays quarterback and also comes in and doubles as a safety. Phenomenal baseball player. He's a well-rounded athlete. He was a great basketball player, so when you look at that and look at the impact he's had on his team.”

Catalon is one of those guys who doesn’t physically fit the mold of a big-time safety recruit. In other words, he’s not 6-1, 210 pounds. The University of Arkansas lists him at 5-10, 188. Most great players seem to fit the prototypical mold, but not everyone does. Defensive end Dwight Freeny came into the league at 6-1, 268, and 16 years later he had amassed 125 sacks. He wasn’t the prototypical 6-5, 270.

Former NFL safety Bob Sanders was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 with the Indianapolis Colts. Sanders checked in at 5-8, 207 pounds. The Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu, had one of the greatest collegiate seasons ever for a defensive back at 5-9, 185 while playing a safety/nickel position.

“We were the first to offer him at our time at SMU,” Morris said. “Just knowing him and the program he plays in and the level of competition he has to play at. He would play safety, play quarterback, played both ways. He’s one of the top five best HS players that I’ve seen play. So I think his potential and his upside is phenomenal. It’s unfortunate he suffered an injury this year in the first game. Because I think the outcome for their season would have been different because I think he’s that big of an impact player. And not only just that I think that. But when you travel around and knowing the coaches that I know in that state and to listen to them talk about him as a person and a player - phenomenal. But when you meet his parents, you understand that. You just understand.”

Catalon, who plays quarterback, safety and returns punts, suffered a torn ACL in the first game of his senior season against Jenks and was lost for the season. He is one of two 4-star recruits dealing with that injury, joining Warren (Ark.) wide receiver Treylon Burks, 6-3, 225.

“They’re both well ahead of schedule,” Morris said. “We anticipate those guys being back and ready to go when they get here in June, full throttle and ready. They’ll come up and go through evaluations in front of our team doctors, but our doctors will be in touch with theirs and making sure that everybody’s on the right page. So,we anticipate those guys being ready to go for sure for fall camp and summer workouts.

In his junior season, Catalon racked up 101 tackles, forced 4 fumbles, recovered 4 fumbles and made 3 interceptions on defense. He also passed for 1,145 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,031 more yards. The Razorbacks signed three players out of Mansfield Legacy, including defensive tackles Taurean Carter, 6-3, 260, and Enoch Jackson, . Carter is ranked the No. 44 defensive tackle recruit in the country and the No. 73 overall recruit in Texas for 2019. Jackson is ranked No. 28 at his position and 49 in Texas.

“Well, it’s rare to sign two kids out of the same school,” Morris said. “But when you can sign three kids out of the same school its says a lot. I think that - you look at the impact that each one of those players - from Taurean Carter to Enoch Jackson. These are guys that we’re anticipating coming in here and making an impact the day they step on campus.”

Here is the 247Sports evaluation of Catalon: