Add humility to the number of traits Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones possesses. While Jones is starting to get credited as one of the best wide receivers in the league, he does not even believe he is the best on the team.
Interviewing with Deion Sanders on NFL.com, Jones referred to Roddy White as the No. 1 receiver on the Falcons' team. As Jones said, "Every Batman needs a Robin." White and Jones have paired up to become possibly the best receiving tandems in the league. Before Jones was drafted, White was easily the top player, but since Jones has joined the team, White has only improved. White and Jones are putting up over 1,000 yards each season and are only getting better as they enter into 2013.
Early into training camp, Jones has been earning rave reviews after showing up with extra muscle on his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. That extra weight has not hurt his speed one bit, only making him even tougher to cover during plays, something rookie cornerback Desmond Trufant is learning the hard way.
The rookie is quickly learning just how talented the Falcons receiving corps is as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the wide receiver is simply embarrassing the rookie. Jones has been blowing past him again-and-again on one-on-one drills. Head coach Mike Smith noted that the rookie was going to get thrown into the fire right away, but that it would be good for his overall growth.
"Those young corners are going to be learning under fire. Every play is going to be a learning experience for them and they're going to have to put the previous play behind them and move on to the next one. That's what a corner has to do. They're going against two of the best receivers in the NFL," Smith said.
Ryan knows it is important to pick on the young cornerbacks in order to get them up to speed faster. While Trufant has struggled at times, he has also come up with a few interceptions that left the quarterback very impressed. Trufant, along with Robert Alford are expected to make immediate impacts when the season kicks off. One if not both rookie cornerbacks are likely going to start at some point this year, something Ryan feels good about.
"I've been impressed with those guys. They got good work ethic. They're both confident. They got good swagger, and I really think they're going to help our football team."