Jahleel Billingsley: 5 things to know about the Alabama Crimson Tide football tight end

Alabama football rarely gets players out of Illinois, but Jahleel Billingsley is an exception.

When he signed with Alabama, Billingsley became the first player out of Illinois to sign with the Crimson Tide since 1997.

Early in his Alabama career, Billingsley has shown potential. Through the first nine games of his sophomore campaign in 2020, Billingsley caught 10 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

Here is some basic information on Jahleel Billingsley:

• Height: 6 feet, 4 inches

• Weight: 230 pounds

• Age: 20 years old

• Birthdate: May 17, 2001

• Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

• High school: Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago

• Parents: Charles and Tyhesia Billingsley

Here are five more things to know about Alabama Crimson Tide football tight end Jahleel Billingsley.

Jahleel Billingsley's grandma is from Selma

Jahleel Billingsley said that his grandma Ossie Mae Billingsley is from Selma, Alabama.

"That played a big role in why I chose Alabama," Jahleel Bilingsley said to 247sports. "She’s always just been there. She’s a strong woman."

Ossie Mae Billingsley died March 21, 2016. She was 89 years old.

When Jahleel Billingsley committed to Alabama, he put an Alabama shirt on his grandma's headstone.

"At the age of 16, I lost you — my best friend," Jahleel Billingsley said in a video talking about his grandma when he committed to Alabama. "I honor you every day. I honor you every play and every rep. I honor your memory, because you always told me that I would do something great. You never doubted me. You always kept my spirits up. ... This one is for you grandma."

Jahleel Billingsley second cousin Ledaryl Billingsley played basketball at Tulane

Ledaryl Billingsley is the cousin of Jahleel Billingsley's dad, Charles.

From 1997-2001, Ledaryl Billingsley played men's basketball at Tulane. Entering the 2020-21 season, Billingsley ranked No. 21 in career scoring at Tulane with 1,264 career points.

As a senior, Ledaryl Billingsley averaged 18 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, and he was named to the Conference USA All-Conference Second Team. Billingsley averaged 11 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for his Tulane career.

Perry Clark coached Billingsley at Tulane his first three seasons, and Shawn Finney coached Billingsley his senior year at Tulane.

Ledaryl Billingsley played high school basketball at Morgan Park Academy in Chicago.

Jahleel Billingsley high school stats

Jahleel Billingsley helped Phillips Academy win an Illinois High School Association Class 5A state championship in 2017. During that season, he caught 31 passes for 431 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior, according to the Chicago Tribune.

He helped Phillips reach the IHSA Class 6A state quarterfinals his senior year. In the first round of the 2018 playoffs, Billingsley took snaps in a Wildcat formation, and he rushed 15 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns, the Chicago Tribune said. Then in the Sweet 16 of those same playoffs, Billingsley threw a 20-yard touchdown pass out of the Wildcat formation.

Billingsley also played basketball in high school.

Jahleel Billingsley honored: 2018 All-USA Illinois Football Team

Jahleel Billingsley 40 time

Jahleel Billingsley posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.64 seconds in high school, according to ESPN.

At the same time, he achieved a 33.2-inch vertical jump. His 20-yard shuttle time was 4.48 seconds.

Coming out of high school, ESPN ranked Billingsley the No. 11 tight end in the nation, the No. 6 prospect in Illinois, and the No. 35 player in the Midwest, according to Alabama.

Jahleel Billingsley, NIU receiver Fabian McCray were high school teammates

Jahleel Billingsley and Fabian McCray made for quite a tandem at Phillips Academy.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound McCray is a wide receiver at Northern Illinois. McCray redshirted his first season at NIU in 2019 though he played in two games on special teams. In 2020, McCray played in two of the NIU's six games, and he caught one pass for 34 yards.

In high school, McCray was a force on offense and defense. McCray led Phillips with 41 receptions and 589 yards in 2017 on the way to the state title. He also had seven interceptions as a defensive back. In 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times ranked McCray the No. 3 defensive player in Chicagoland.

Here's more Jahleel Billingsley news:

• Jahleel Billingsley: Jahleel Billingsley coming on strong for Tide at tight end spot

• Alabama football: Will Alabama football get more production from the tight end position in 2020?

• Jahleel Billingsley: Why Alabama football is getting plenty from tight ends despite Miller Forristall's injury

Here is a link to the Jahleel Billingsley bio on the Alabama football website.

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Jahleel Billingsley: 5 facts on the Alabama football tight end