After living dream in NFL, Jalen Mayfield coaching O-line at Grand Rapids Catholic Central alma mater

BY SCOTT DECAMP

For Michigan Sports Radio

GRAND RAPIDS – Playing inside Ford Field for a state championship on Thanksgiving weekend is the goal every year for the Grand Rapids Catholic Central football program.

In order to play indoors, however, state title-contending teams such as the Cougars must become very comfortable playing outdoors in the inclement weather often experienced in Michigan in the late fall.

“If you want to win in November in Michigan, you’ve got to run the ball and be able to stop it,” GRCC coach Todd Kolster said. “You can’t rely on the pass in November in Michigan playing outdoors.”

Former GRCC standout offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield knows that as well as anybody. He helped lead the Cougars to back-to-back state titles in 2016 and 2017, earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades at University of Michigan, and played in the NFL.

Mayfield is back in Grand Rapids, in his first season coaching the offensive line at his GRCC alma mater. He’s helping to bring along a young Cougars offensive line that has exhibited gradual improvement throughout the season.

GRCC (5-1 overall, 3-0 OK Black) continues its conference-title quest with today’s 7 p.m. game against Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (1-5, 0-3) at Houseman Field.

“I’ve been around here basically my whole life and I just called coach (Kolster) and asked if there was an opportunity. I love being around the game and helping these kids, so it’s been an awesome time,” said Mayfield, a towering presence, who was listed at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds in his collegiate and professional playing days.

After spending three years at Michigan, Mayfield decided to forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and entered the 2021 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (68th overall). 

Mayfield started 16 games in his rookie season with the Falcons in 2021. He was placed on injured reserve in September 2022 and missed the entire season, then he was released by the Falcons in August 2023. 

Mayfield signed with the New York Giants’ practice squad that same month. He was promoted to the active roster in October, released a couple days later, and re-signed with the Giants practice squad. Following the 2023 season, the Giants signed Mayfield to a reserve/future contract in January 2024, but he was waived in August 2024.

“(His NFL experience) was good. I learned a lot. I got to live out my dream – played in the NFL for four years and did everything I wanted,” Mayfield said. “Now I’m looking for a new route and doing what I love, staying around football.”

According to Kolster and GRCC players, Mayfield has been a positive influence in his new role.

“Jalen’s great,” Kolster said. “He’s been great with those guys and, you know, for those guys to have somebody like him to be able to ask questions, be able to talk to. ‘How do I do this? Why do I do this? What are we doing here?’ I mean, you don’t get a better example of him doing that.”

GRCC’s starting offensive line consists of junior Noe Melendez at center, sophomores Kellen Thomas and Blake Fox at guards, with senior Jack Koepke and junior Tommy Wilbon at tackles.

The Cougars’ anchors at the tackle positions are enjoying learning from Mayfield.

“It’s really fun,” said the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Koepke, a three-year starter and left tackle, who does not intend on playing football in college. “It’s nice just because he’s had the experience of being coached by Kolster, too, so he knows what it’s like. Being in the NFL, he’s got a lot of good tips for us, too.”

“He’s really helped our technique just because he’s played at that high level. It’s just gotten us right,” said the 6-5, 300-pound Wilbon, who plays right tackle and has received Division I offers from Miami-Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Akron, and Western Michigan.

GRCC is averaging 25.7 points per game but that number is skewed by its one loss, a 40-7 defeat against Chicago Kenwood Academy, a school of nearly 1,900 students and a team that’s also 5-1 overall on the season. GRCC’s enrollment is 571, keeping it in Division 5 in the MHSAA playoffs.

On the field, the Cougars offense is directed by three-year starting quarterback Odin Spencer, a 6-3, 210-pound junior dual-threat, who according to 247Sports holds offers from Eastern Michigan, Kent City, Miami-Ohio, and Western Michigan.

On the O-line, Mayfield is focusing on details and techniques while stressing fundamentals and physicality. No matter the level of football, he said, those things go a long way. 

Mayfield said the young offensive line is picking it up pretty well.

“We’re pushing these guys to be the best they can be,” he said. “You have to play with intelligence and physicality. I think if we do that, we’ve got a chance to be pretty decent. I understand what these kids are going through.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys playing right now. I think we’re figuring it out on the fly. We’re coming around. It’s not always going to be perfect, which I understand, but I want to see growth each game and each snap and I think I’m getting that right now from the group.”

Kolster said Mayfield is a “natural teacher” and “natural coach.”

In Kolster’s mind, the Cougars are at their best on offense when the line is playing well and that there’s no bigger correlation to the success of a team than that unit clicking on all cylinders.

Kolster is demanding, but GRCC players understand that and welcome tough coaching.

“The standard is high and we know it,” Koepke said. “We obviously have a history of excellence here, but you don’t just come here and get that given to you. You’ve got to earn it.

“I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface of what we can do (this season),” Koepke said. “I mean, we’ve seen flashes of it. When we get going, it looks good.”

Added Wilbon about the O-line specifically: “If we could all just get on the same page and just go hard every time, we’re going to be unstoppable.”

Featured photo at the top: Grand Rapids Catholic Central football coach Todd Kolster, foreground, and offensive line coach Jalen Mayfield are pictured during practice Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, at Cougar Stadium in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Photo | Scott DeCamp)