Since Nick Saban’s arrival to Tuscaloosa in 2007, Alabama has not only become a team that has created a dynasty winning national championships, but it also has become a program that sends players to the NFL every year.
With the 2020 NFL Draft happening in less than a month, it’s the perfect time to start a new series in which we will go over all of the Tide’s 29 first-round draft picks. The first player we went over was Andre Smith, who finished his career at Alabama with 15 awards and honors and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals as the No. 6 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The second player we went over was former Alabama star linebacker Rolando McClain who would not only win many incredible awards while at Alabama, but was drafted by Oakland Raiders as the No. 8 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The 3rd Alabama player drafted in the first round for the Tide was Kareem Jackson who would go on to be drafted by the Houston Texans as the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The 4th player to become drafted under Nick Saban was Marcell Dareus.
This time, we will be focusing on another former Alabama football star, wide receiver Julio Jones.
“Everything starts and ends with @juliojones_11 “
Julio Jones is the fifth of Nick Saban’s 29 First Round draft picks at Alabama.#29andCounting #BamaFactor pic.twitter.com/CnfC3lpYrq
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) March 30, 2020
As a true freshman in 2008, Jones became the first true freshman wide receiver to start in a season opener for the Crimson Tide. He was named to the second team All-SEC, was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, as well as to the SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman Team. He finished the regular season with 58 receptions for 924 yards, and 4 touchdowns.
In 2009, Jones was a part of the 2009 National Championship team. Not only did he add more honors and awards that season, but he recorded 43 receptions for 596 yards and 4 TDs.
His junior year in 2010 was by far his best. He finished with an Alabama record 78 catches and 1,133 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also had 8 rushes for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns. He finished his career by putting his name in several Alabama record books: 2nd in career receptions with 179, and 2,653 yards, as well as 4th in TD catches.
Jones, who has become a huge part of the Falcons’ offense, reached the 12,000 yard mark in 125 games, which is 17 less games than it took Jerry Rice to do so. Jones also passed Rice for the second most receiving yards in NFL history in a player’s first nine seasons in the league.
Jones is also the new franchise record holder for all time leader receiver for the Falcons.
So far in his career with the Falcons, Jones has recorded 12,125 receiving yards and 57 TDs.
This past season, he fnished the season with 99 receptions for 1,394 yards and 6 TDs.
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