The return of All-Big 12 safety Bud Clark last offseason was major news for the TCU Horned Frogs, who had high expectations for the 2025 season. A mainstay in the secondary throughout his career, Clark returned
for his sixth season in Fort Worth and once again earned All-Big 12 honors, being named to the Second Team once again.
The man who intercepted J.J. McCarthy for a touchdown during TCU’s Fiesta Bowl win over Michigan, Clark finished his Horned Frog career with 214 total tackles, 138 solo stops, 35 pass breakups, 15 interceptions over 61 games played. Clark, who played more games than any other player on the roster, was one of two TCU safeties to earn All-Big 12 honors this season. Jamel Johnson, a junior who briefly entered the transfer portal before opting out last offseason, turned in a career-best season, posting 96 total tackles (second most on the team) and five interceptions. As TCU transitions into 2026, Clark will pass the torch to Johnson to lead the secondary.
While Clark and Johnson had strong individual seasons, TCU’s secondary took a step back in 2025. After the Horned Frogs allowed only 185.2 passing yards per game in 2024, TCU surrendered 245.6 passing yards per game this season, which ranked 14th in the Big 12 above only Oklahoma State and West Virginia. Fortunately, TCU generated more turnovers, recording 14 interceptions in 2025 after having 10 last season. Nine of those 14 interceptions came from Johnson (5) and Clark (4). Julius Simms, a true freshman who played in 12 games this season and will be a top returner in 2026, was the only other safety to snatch an interception for TCU.
Splitting time at the nickel position were senior Austin Jordan and redshirt sophomore Kylin Jackson. Jordan, who transferred in from Texas before the 2024 season, played a reserve role before becoming the team’s starting nickel in 2025, replacing Abe Camara. Jordan played in all 26 games over the last two seasons, recording a career-high 40 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in 2025. Jackson, who transferred in from LSU last offseason, appeared in 12 games and had 26 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks this season. With Jordan set to depart from the roster, Jackson projects as the early favorite to start at nickel during the 2026 season.
Bringing Jackson (nickel) and Johnson (strong safety) back to anchor the secondary will be huge for the TCU defense. But who takes over for the departing Clark (free safety)? This offseason, TCU signed a potential plug-and-play transfer in Louisiana Tech safety Jacob Fields. A sophomore who played in 13 games with eight starts for the Bulldogs in 2025, Fields had 54 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Fields, who was named the Conference USA’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year, has 24 games of experience under his belt.
Simms will be another player to watch after carving out a reserve role as a freshman. Simms, who registered 12 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception in 2025, is one of multiple underclassmen that could shoot up the depth chart next season. Sophomores Kaden McFadden, Jordan Lester and Devyn Hidrogo, along with freshman Joseph Albright, are all former three-star recruits who’ve played sparingly in recent years. Four-star 2026 recruit Jason Bradford is the only safety signed by the Horned Frogs in the 2026 class.
