'It lights a fire under you': Jaylon Guilbeau adjusts to position change, becoming a father

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas senior defensive back Jaylon Guilbeau returns to help anchor a Longhorns secondary that was one of the best in the country last year. While that's a big responsibility, he has an even bigger one when he's off the field — being a father.

Guilbeau's daughter Ryleigh was born July 16, and he said the moment she entered the world, everything changed.

"I wake up every morning, kiss my daughter on the forehead and tell her, 'Baby, I got you,'" he said. "I love being a father. It just lights a fire under you."

In a sport that requires self-discipline and strong internal motivation to succeed, having external motivation can make someone focus even more. That's clearly the case with Guilbeau, who not only has the newborn, but he's also changing positions from nickel (a fifth defensive back in certain formations) to cornerback. He'll be out in coverage, matched up against some of the best athletes on the field in opposing wide receivers.

He's played 31 games with 17 starts in his career, all at nickel. With his primary position being in coverage like his high school days, it's coming back to him quickly, he said.

"It's fundamentals and building the small details," he said. "I just want to prove myself and show everyone that I can cover at corner. I was in the box half the time at nickel."

A Longhorn who is now in the NFL made a similar position switch last season, Jahdae Barron. Guilbeau said he talks to Barron all the time, calling him "his brother."

"I'm just trying to be at the standard he was," Guilbeau said of Barron, the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner and the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

He's out before every practice, getting some extra work in and leading by example. He said the rest of the defensive backs have been pushing him to improve and helping him develop more of a "killer instinct."

"You can't come out here and play around," he said. "You have to treat it like a job, and I love what I do, so I'm going to come out here and work hard."

It's that kind of mentality that will serve Guilbeau well, not just on the gridiron, but also in life. His priorities have changed since the birth of his daughter, and even though he might lose some sleep to take care of her, it's all worth it to him.

"It's tough having a newborn, but I love being a dad," he said. "I wake up to her and my girlfriend every morning, and just tell them I love them, and that I'm going to work."