Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has long been considered one of the NFL's premier playmakers. It seems former Falcons wide receiver Roddy White had a lot to do with his progression.
There was plenty of hype surrounding Jones upon entering the NFL. According to William McFadden of the team's official website, he attributes his early success to White taking him under his wing:
Julio says “Roddy is like a brother to me.” Credits Roddy White for really helping him when he started his career.
It is easy to forget that a player of Jones' caliber was once just a rookie trying to find his footing at the next level. There were certainly no questions about his talent after the Falcons took him with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, White had already established himself as one of the best wideouts in the NFL while serving as the No. 1 option in the passing game in Atlanta throughout his career.
Many were right to presume that Jones was brought in to serve as an eventual replacement for White. Rather than treating Jones like the competition he was, it appears the veteran was quite the mentor to his future successor and served as an open book for the future star. The two spent five seasons together as teammates before White's retirement following the 2015 campaign.
Jones is now at the point in his career where he has taken on a similar role as White to all the promising, young wideouts the Falcons have added in recent years. Although the six-time Pro Bowler still has plenty left in the tank, he also has an opportunity to show his teammates the same kindness that was given to him.
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