It was a huge risk for an established receiver like Malachai Jones to voluntarily want to make a sudden switch to safety on defense for Tulsa.

But for Jones, it was no risk, no gain.

"I didn't want to be done with football and regret that I didn't take action when I thought, maybe I should play defense, maybe I should try it out," said Jones. "This is my chance in college to do that. So that's ultimately why I changed."

Jones, a 5-11, 197-pound senior from Westlake HS in Spring, Texas with two years of eligibility remaining, has 49 catches for 630 yards and 4 touchdowns in his career at TU.

Even though Tulsa doesn't have a wealth of receiving experience returning, second-year Tulsa coach Kevin Wilson and his coaching staff was open to Jones making the move.

"Obviously, I talked with the staff, Coach P (defensive coordinator Chris Polizzi), Coach Wilson, and they agreed on it," Jones said. "In January and February, after seeing me backpedal here and there, they said, we'll try it out and see how spring goes, and we'll go from there. And now we're here."

Many might wonder why Jones, who now is the likely starter at strong safety, thought playing safety was a good move.

"I've always been good at it, going back to my younger days," Jones said of playing defensive back. "I think the last time I played it was my freshman year in high school. I'm athletic, I can backpedal, I move well. I've got good hands."

The move to safety comes after a frustrating season for Jones because of injuries that he fought through all season long. He started 4 of the 8 games he played in, ending up with 9 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Jones was coming off a breakout season in 2022 where he had 37 catches for 470 yards (12.9 yards per catch) and 3 scores while alongside standout receiver Keylon Stokes (TU's career record holder in receiving yards) and JuanCarlos Santana.

"I actually sprained, rolled, messed up both of my ankles last season," Jones said. "One, after the week one game, and when I kind of got that one back, I hurt the other one. And then I messed up my hamstring right before the ECU game (season finale).

"So last year was definitely something I had never been through in life in terms of missing a football game, let alone that many football games and getting hurt that many times in one season. So, this year, I've really attacked the training room, staying on top of my body, trying to prevent those injuries, and trying to not get hurt again."

Jones said it only took a few weeks to recover from last season's injuries, and it was time to look forward to 2024.

"I feel really good right now," Jones said, who has already graduated with a degree in Energy Management. "Even last season I missed some of the summer with a little back problem, so I missed a lot of workouts in the summer, which is not good. I haven't missed a day this summer, which I think has helped me. I've put on some weight. I feel healthy. I'm excited."

The change to defense isn't a big difference for Jones.

"I look at receiver and DB kind of the same," Jones said. "At DB, you do things backwards, and at receiver, you do things forwards. I think I have the tools to make a good DB.

"I knew if I believed in myself that I would be able to get it done, and I've shown that I'm able to get it done. The physicality is the biggest difference. You're expected to make tackles, you're expected to get off blocks.”

Jones does have three career tackles, all in 2021 as a redshirt freshman, while playing special teams. So, it isn't like he's never tackled someone in college.

"You're making the hit, so that's something that I'm excited about as well," Jones said. "At receiver you're expected to block, but kind of just get in the way with how the offense is ran nowadays and let the ball player get by you."

Jones is taking over at strong safety for Dayne Hodge, who has moved over to replace graduated standout Kendarin Ray at free safety. Hodge, who is expected to start at free safety, is excited for Jones.

"My buddy Malachai is over there at strong, so we're trying to stay on the same page and communicate," Hodge said. "He's doing well."

For someone who took a leap of faith in a major position change, things seem to be pointing in the right direction.

"I feel like physicality is something that I definitely had to prove I could do, and I think I've shown I can do that," Jones said.