Talking football with Alabama wide receiver Aaron Wilson
Alabama star wide receiver Julio Jones visited the Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams and the Tennessee Titans and roughly five other NFL teams.
Jones ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds and turned in an 11-3 broad jump at the combine despite a foot injury that required surgery.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound All-American wide receiver led the Crimson Tide to the BCS national championship as a sophomore two years ago.
He set single-season school records for catches (78) and receiving yards (1,133) that season and he ranks second on Alabama's career list for both receptions and receiving yards.
We caught up with Jones for a wide-ranging telephone interview from New York where he's expected to be one of the top 10 draft selections Thursday night:
Jones has also been involved in the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in New York, UnderArmour advertising spots and was featured on the NFL draft series called Everything to Prove.
Julio Jones is ready for the draft process to end and his NFL career to begin.
Are you nervous or excited? Both?
Jones: "It's all of the above. I can't wait to find out where I'm going and where's going to be my new home in the NFL."
Jones' surgically-repaired foot is progressing well, according to the All-Southeastern Conference selection.
Jones went to Indianapolis for a medical recheck on his foot. He had a screw inserted in his foot following the NFL scouting combine with foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson performing the procedure.
How's your foot doing after the medical recheck?
Jones: "It was't until they started pressing on the spot that it hurt a little. I had a number of doctors look at it, so of course it started hurting. In general, nah, it doesn't hurt. They've X-rayed it again and did a CT scan. It's doing good. I'll be fine."
What's the Gatorade thing doing for you?
Jones: "I'm learning a lot about my body chemistry, weaknesses and strengths. I came out here in February and did the tests and it taught me what I needed to work on. I wasn't drinking that much Gatorade. They taught me how much I needed to drink and see how my energy level increased based on how I followed the format they laid out for me. It made me perform very well at the combine."
What did you think when Jerry Rice said he would draft Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green before you?
Jones: “Wherever I go, I’ll be happy. We're athletes and we're competitors, but there's no hard feelings. We're friends. I don't care if he goes first. Whoever drafts one of us will have a great receiver."
What kind of football player will the team that drafts you be getting?
Jones: "A guy that’s a hard worker and will come in and contribute to the team right away. I feel like I’m physically and mentally ready. I’m prepared. I’ve been coached by a great coach in Nick Saban to allow me to come in and with the mindset and mentality to play at the NFL.”
How about your character?
Jones: "I never had character issues ever. I'm a very respectful guy. I'll come in and gain that respect from my teammates. That’s what I’m looking forward to. I want to be a leader. I want to come in and work hard."
How confident are you when you line up across from a cornerback?
Jones: "Every time I come to the line, I don't care about the names of the corners. Some people will already be intimidated before they go to the line. It's a battle. It's all about competing. That's why I play the game. I love to win every time I come to the line of scrimmage."
Do you enjoy the strategic aspect of football?
Jones: "The way I set up my routes, that comes from film study. I spend at least an hour each day working on that. I see how they bite on a double-move or something else and I try to put that into my repertoire of my routes."
What was it like for you growing up?
Jones: "I grew up in the projects. That always stuck with me and made me a competitor. I am very blessed. I give all the praise to my mom. She keeps me level-headed. She's a special lady.
"There was all kinds of drugs and violence around our neighborhood, but she was there for me and taught me right from wrong and the right way to live. It stuck with me and kept me out of trouble. I was always a leader, not a follower. I didn't want to do anything just to fit in."
Do you have a big family?
Jones: "Nope, it's just me, my mom and my older brother and my stepfather. My real father is a preacher. He left my life early on. I did talk with him during college a litle bit. Through this process, I've been so busy we haven't talked lately."
What's your goal off the field?
Jones: “I want to be financially stable, first of all. I don’t want to be one of those guys that's broke after they leave the league. I want to take care of my mom. She has done so much for me and my brother growing up. She works at KFC. Before that, she worked at Church's Chicken for a long time. It's time for her to take a break."
Follow me on Twitter: RavensInsider
