By Tristan Henry – On May 26 at 1:00 p.m.
Despite a small 2020 season, the star receiver of the Falcons remains a reference in the NFL.
Julio Jones – Receiver – Atlanta Falcons
ID card : 32 years old – 1.91 cm – 100 kg
Draft : n ° 6 in the 1st round of the 2011 Draft – Alabama
CV : 2 First-team All-Pro (2015-2016), 3 Second-team All-Pro (2017-2019) , 7 Pro Bowl (2012, 2014 – 2019)
Stats 2020 (regular season): 9 games played, 771 yards for 3 touchdowns
Career stats (regular season): 12,896 yards and 60 touchdowns in 135 games played over 10 seasons
Why is he here?
Tall (1m91), fast (40 yards in 4.39 seconds) and super powerful, Julio Jones has terrorized the NFL defenses since entering the league in 2011. Capable of the most spectacular receptions, Jones is impossible to contain in 1 against 1 and forces the opposing defenses to adapt to reduce, unsuccessfully, its impact.
Machine yards, Jones is already one of the 20 best receivers in the history of the NFL in yards gained. If Larry Fitzgerald retired, he would become the most prolific player still in activity.
Julio’s status also stems from the visual impression he leaves. Once the ball is thrown by Matt Ryan, Jones transforms into a locomotive that smashes any obstacle separating him from the ball, without ever derailing. A delight for the supporters, an ordeal for the opposing defenses.
What objective in 2021?
With only 773 yards in 9 small games last season due to a nagging hamstring injury, Jones signed his first season less than 1,000 yards since 2013. This episode raises the question of his ability to continue his performance several years, and sets sustainability as the main goal of his 2021 season. A bright spot for Falcons fans: The decision not to play Jones was also linked last year to the franchise’s dire situation, so the wide receiver should be in great shape this season.
At the collective level, it is little to say that the Falcons air attack is likely to turn heads in 2021. Already excellent last year with their Jones-Ridley duo, the Falcons drafted the Kyle Pitts phenomenon, giving Matt Ryan exceptional weapons to capsize any defense, especially if Jones plays every game. At 4-11 last year, the Falcons had particularly disappointed, chaining the defeats now typical of the franchise with considerable advances squandered in the last quarter, accumulating in the process no less than 8 losses of 5 points or less, including two of 1 point. Atlanta is not a bad team, and if new coach Arthur Smith manages to take them to the next level in scoring, the Falcons can aim for the playoffs, if not more.
However, there is an asterisk on these projections. since the possibility of a player’s exchange is not zero. In a difficult payroll situation, Atlanta would save $ 15 million this season, while creating tens of millions of losses for the following seasons. Nothing is certain.
Heard in the editorial staff
“The perfect catcher. Even if his physique begins to decline, he remains a dominant player and a headache for any defense ”Victor Roullier.
“Julio Jones: a perfect receiver. Maybe a little high in our ranking, but how can we see it lower as it still seems capable of dominating certain matches? »Raphaël Masmejean
The general classification
40. Justin Simmons
41. Zack Martin
42. Alvin Kamara
43. Chandler Jones
44. Jamal Adams
45. Chase Young
46. Lavonte David
47. Nick Chubb
48. Corey Linsley
49. Lamar Jackson
50. Fred Warner
