Career Accolades:
2023: Transfer outside linebacker from Appalachian State … second on team with 50 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks for season … did not dress vs. UMass … 3 tackles at Cal … 2 tackles vs. Samford … 3 tackles at Texas A&M … 5 tackles and a fumble recovery vs. Georgia … 4 tackles, sack assist at LSU … sack, 4 tackles vs. Ole Miss … 4 solo tackles, 2 TFL against Mississippi State … 9-yard sack, 3 tackles at Vanderbilt … team-best 9 tackles at Arkansas included 3 sacks, 4 TFL and a forced fumble … team-best 8 tackles vs. Alabama … 4 tackles, TFL in Music City Bowl … SEC defensive player of week (Arkansas) … Bednarik Award player of week (Arkansas) … PFF national team of week (Arkansas) … Lindy’s national player of week (Arkansas) … all-SEC (CFN hm.)

Before Auburn: Transfer defender from Appalachian State … career totals of 76 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 9 sacks in 30 games played with three starts … 2022 third team all-Sun Belt; two forced fumbles and two sacks at Texas A&M … appeared in 14 games as a sophomore, recording 26 tackles … two TFL and a sack in key drive in win over Marshall … played in five games as a true freshman in 2020, with nine tackles.

High School: Standout defender for a Friendship Collegiate Academy team that went 10-3 and repeated as the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association state 2-A champion in 2019 … had 60 tackles, 10 sacks, five forced fumbles, four interceptions and 15 QB hurries as a senior for Coach Mike Hunter … as a junior, helped lead the Knights to a DCSAA championship with a 13-0 record … honorable mention Washington Post all-metro.

Personal: Birthday is June 5 … son of Marlea Tolson and Aubrey McLeod … studying in the College of Liberal Arts.

Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze: 
“Jalen plays so hard. Sometimes he’s having to play too many snaps, but Jalen is definitely the biggest threat we have on the pass rush, and that’s good for us. Even when he faces their best guy or gets doubled, he still has high productivity and consistency. He’s a football player. He makes us different when he’s in there.”

The recipient of the Defender of the Nation Award will be announced on October 24th from one of the Nation’s (15) military academies and ROTC programs including Air Force Academy, Appalachian State University, Auburn, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Michigan State, Naval Academy, Norwich University, Ole Miss, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, VMI, South Carolina, Villanova, and West Point and is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.

In conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet will be held on Monday, December 9th at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to honoring the Defender of the Nation Award winner, the banquet will celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Legends Award. West Virginia University’s Darryl Talley will be honored as the 2024 Legends Award recipient and University of Missouri Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz  is slated as the keynote speaker.

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. Since its inception, the club has grown as well as diversified boasting a sponsor team of more than (80) companies. The Club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship, and Leadership of area athletes and coaches. Through individual and corporate support, more than $3,000,000 has been raised and donated to benefit the Touchdown Club’s scholarship efforts. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.