# Jahleel Billingsley

Jahleel Billingsley (born May 17, 2001) is an American professional football tight end. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide.

## Early life

Billingsley grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School, where he played football and basketball. He played multiple positions for the Wildcats including tight end, receiver, wildcat quarterback and defensive line. 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. He was the first Alabama recruit from the state of Illinois since 1997.

## College career

Bilingsley played in nine games with two receptions for 16 yards as a freshman. He caught 18 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Tide won the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. Billingsley also led the team with 89 kick return yards.
Billingsley was moved down the depth chart prior to the start of the 2021 season. 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.” 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.
Billingsley ended the 2021 season with 17 receptions for 256 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.
On January 11, 2022, Billingsley entered the transfer portal after not catching a pass during the CFB Championship for Alabama. Then on January 16, it was announced that Billingsley would be transferring to Texas to play with former Alabama Offensive Coordinator, Steve Sarkisian.
He started his time at Texas with a six-game suspension for "something that happened before his arrival in Texas." During the four games he did play in, he was targeted just six times, making three catches for 38 receiving yards. He left the team before their 2022 season was over.

### College statistics

| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2019 | Alabama | SEC | FR | TE | 9 | 2 | 16 | 1.8 | 0 |
| 2020 | Alabama | SEC | SO | TE | 12 | 18 | 287 | 15.9 | 3 |
| 2021 | Alabama | SEC | JR | TE | 15 | 17 | 256 | 15.1 | 3 |
| 2022 | Texas | Big 12 | SR | TE | 4 | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 0 |
| Career | Texas | | | | 36 | 37 | 559 | 15.1 | 6 |
Source:

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump |
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 223 lb (101 kg) | 32+1⁄2 in (0.83 m) | 9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.60 s | 1.59 s | 2.57 s | 4.52 s | 7.14 s | 36.0 in (0.91 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) |
| All values from Pro Day |||||||||||
In late 2022 Billingsley chose to forego his final two years of college eligibility and enter the draft. was not invited to the 2023 NFL Combine, but did participate in Texas' Pro Day. Despite being on draft watch lists, he was not selected in the 2023 NFL draft, but did garner an invite to mini-camp by the Tennessee Titans.

### Calgary Stampeders

Billingsley was signed by the Calgary Stampeders to their practice roster on July 12, 2023. He was released on July 15.

### San Antonio Brahmas

Billingsley was selected by the San Antonio Brahmas in the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft on June 16, 2023 - before signing with Calgary. After being released by Calgary, he signed with the Brahmas on October 20. He was not part of the roster after the 2024 UFL dispersal draft on January 15, 2024.