After playing just five seasons in the National Football League, the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones has recorded 6,200 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. The Falcons’ star wide receiver is already being mentioned in the same conversation as NFL greats like Jerry Rice and Don Hutson. He’d made a name for himself long before he even played a professional game, much like another elite athlete who recently won his third title. Like LeBron James, Julio has surpassed expectations and continues to grow as a star. Here’s The Ringer‘s Robert May on his potential:
“Similar to LeBron James — who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 17-year-old prodigy in 2002 — Jones has been saddled with the greatest of expectations since he was a teenager. Nick Saban shaped a program around him. Thomas Dimitroff bet a franchise on him. Neither has regretted it. Last year, on the heels of signing a $71 million contract, Jones, now 27, turned in the best season of his professional career: He made 136 catches for 1,871 yards, the second-highest total in NFL history. Many athletes have crumbled beneath the weight of their potential. Jones has shrugged at it.”
Read the full story here. Watch Jones’ 2o15 highlights below (please note: the music is NSFW).
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