BIOGRAPHY
Jalen Mayfield was born May 23, 2000, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is an offensive tackle in the National Football League.
Mayfield grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended Catholic Central High School, where he was a four year starter at offensive tackle and defensive end for the football team. Mayfield originally committed to play college football at Minnesota in February of this junior year, but eventually flipped his commitment to Michigan three months later. As a senior, he was named The Grand Rapids Press Defensive Player of the Year after recording 96 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Mayfield played in three games at left tackle as a true freshman. He was named the Wolverines' starting right tackle going into his sophomore year and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference after starting all 13 of Michigan's games. Following the 2020 season, Mayfield announced that he would forego his remaining years of college eligibility and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Mayfield made his first career start and NFL debut in the Falcons' Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, playing in 90% of the team's offensive snaps After this game, he would appear in every single offensive snap for the Falcons until Week 17, when an injury suffered late in the fourth quarter of the Falcons' loss to the Buffalo Bills kept him out of the Falcons' Week 18 season finale against the New Orleans Saints.Mayfield was drafted in the 3rd round pick 68 by the Atlanta Falcons. Overall, Mayfield finished his rookie season appearing in 16 games and starts.