JaMarcus Shephard Opens Up About Julio Jones' Impact on Alabama WRs

The Alabama wide receivers coach said that the Crimson Tide legend and future Hall-of-Famer spoke to his position group during the Georgia game.

Jan 7, 2010; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Julio Jones (8) runs past Texas Longhorns cornerback Aaron Williams (4) during the first quarter of the 2010 BCS national championship game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban won six National Championships during his time in Tuscaloosa, with the first one coming in the 2009 season, which broke a 17-year dry spell.

There were several Crimson Tide greats on this roster, including wide receiver Julio Jones, who led the team in every receiving category as a sophomore. Jones became an Alabama legend the following season after practically doubling his numbers in every stat category, and his dominance helped him get selected by the Atlanta Falcons as the sixth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Jones quickly emerged as one of the best players in the league at his position, as he was named to his first Pro Bowl in his second season. Jones succumbed to a season-ending injury early in his third season, but he picked himself up and proceeded to make six-straight Pro Bowl appearances and two First Team All-Pro lists, leading the league in yards per game three times and was the NFL's receiving yards leader in 2015 and 2018.

Jones, who's from Foley, Alabama, has remained close to his roots over the years and has helped the Crimson Tide out for quite some time. The 35-year-old is currently a free agent and has come to a couple of Alabama games this year. On Wednesday, Alabama wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard opened up about Jones and his impact on the program, especially during the Tide's instant classic against Georgia this past Saturday.

"Love that guy, he's awesome!" Shephard said. "I just respect him so much because he came to me and said 'Hey coach, last game that I was here, I was on the verge of saying something to the guys to say certain things to them, but I refrained from it because I didn't want to step on your toes.'"

"I made it extremely clear: 'Julio, I played zero snaps in the NFL and you're one of the greatest wide receivers that any of them have ever known. You've earned that right by what you did here at the University of Alabama and the NFL. You would actually be doing me a disservice by not talking to them. Whether it's during, before or after the game, if you want me to be quiet, Julio, you got it.' I just respect what he's done and what he's meant to this program. It was amazing just to meet him the first time because it's Julio Jones, man. I used his film forever."

Jones is frequently mentioned by not just former Alabama players but also NFL greats as a role model to the game. For example, 11-time Pro Bowler and future first-ballot Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald called Jones "the best I’ve ever seen," in 2019.

Shephard shared an anecdote of Jones' recruitment to Alabama that he still hears about from a clip that sits in his barbershop.

"I think coach Saban said we had four guys committed in the class and you're going to be the fifth," Jones said in the clip. "Julio said 'I don't care how many guys you got in the class! When you come to Alabama, you're going to compete.'

"You got no choice but to compete," a man in the barber chair interrupted, per Shephard. "That's why cream rises to the top."

"When we talk about Julio Jones, that's why cream rises to the top," Shephard said. "I'm trying to get my guys to emulate the things that he did, not only at Alabama, but also in the National Football League."

As the Crimson Tide's season continues, how many more games will Jones be around the team for? Based on the unforgettable outcome of the Georgia game and the impact he has on the program and the NFL, Jones can probably talk to Alabama's wide receivers as often as he wants.