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If you want to measure Julio Jones' impact on Alabama, just reference this stat

This wild statistic shows just how important Julio Jones was to Alabama football when he signed with Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in February of 2008.
ByJohn Mitchell|
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
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

On Friday, on a random social media app most didn't know existed, befitting the private nature of his life, Julio Jones officially announced his retirement from the NFL. Jones didn't play last season after playing the 2023 season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

During a brilliant 10-year run with the Atlanta Falcons, Jones made five All Pro teams, seven Pro Bowls, and was the NFL's receiving yards leader twice (2015, 2018). For six straight season from 2014-2019, he posted at least 1394 receiving yards. He is the fastest player in the NFL history to get to 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, and 13,000 receiving yards, finishing his career with 13,703 yards, the 16th most in NFL history.

Before he was an NFL superstar, Jones was an All-American at Alabama and an integral part of the beginning of the dynasty in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban. He's been called the most important recruit in Tide history. You can read Creg Stephenson's excellent story on why that was the case.

Julio's decision to sign with Alabama was a turning point in the history of the program and kicked off a run of recruiting success for Saban and Alabama that has rarely been seen. Before Julio, Alabama had little success recruiting high-level receivers.

If you want to know just how important Julio Jones was to Alabama football, this statistic from Deeg Sports says it all:

Thanks to Julio and the success he had not only at Alabama but being drafted No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide landed Amari Cooper in the 2012 class. After Cooper came Calvin Ridley. Then the "Ryde Outs" era with Devonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, and Jaylen Waddle. A never-ending assembly line of 1st round picks at WR came through Tuscaloosa after Julio. If he went to Oklahoma or Florida or Texas Tech instead, it's fair to wonder whether Alabama would have landed any of those guys.

Nick Saban famously sold Julio on coming to Alabama by telling him that the Crimson Tide was going to win with or without him. It was a brash and brazen recruiting pitch, and one that could have blown up in his face. But Saban always had his finger on the pulse of what motivated players. The pitch worked for Julio, he came to Alabama, kick-started perhaps the greatest dynasty in the history of college football and laid the groundwork for all the great receivers who followed in his footsteps at the Capstone.

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