Keeping up with Atlanta's Julio Jones

The Atlanta Falcons made a risky leap in April, moving up from 27th to sixth in the NFL draft to grab wide receiver Julio Jones out of the University of Alabama. Right now, they are happy with the move.

Atlanta mortgaged a bundle of draft picks to grab Julio Jones, right, but say the wide receiver is worth it.

The Atlanta Falcons made such a risky leap on NFL draft day that the entire organisation could have wound up on the disabled list. No team had ever vaulted as far as from 27th to sixth in the first round.

Thomas Dimitroff, the team's general manager, said he was feeling no buyers' remorse the next day after spending five picks, all for wide receiver Julio Jones. Still, any reassuring salve would be welcome.

It came during a phone conversation with Nick Saban, Jones's esteemed college coach at the University of Alabama. Saban said, "One thing about this individual is that, second to none, he will not be affected by going to the next level."

Recalling the conversation, Dimitroff said, "That was something I really like to hear, from a guy like Nick Saban."

The most audacious off-season transaction of the off-season was pulled off by a 13-3 team, eliminated in the play-offs by the buzzsaw that was Green Bay, the eventual Super Bowl champions.

Looking at their deficiencies, Dimitoff narrowed things down to a lack of big plays on offence.

In the 2008 draft, the newly hired Dimitroff addressed in advance one part of the solution by choosing quarterback Matt Ryan at No 3 overall.

Ryan has become the face of the franchise.

Dimitroff went through Ryan's background with a fine-tooth comb, and "We did as much with Julio", he said.

With each, Dimitroff found a large dose of humility, which is often in short supply among the me-first generation of receivers.

"I'm not the type of guy who is going to brag," said Jones, attributing his nature to upbringing, coaching advice against becoming a prima donna and a willingness to absorb - and dish out - contact.

"I am my own man," he said. Within hours of his selection by Atlanta, Jones fielded a question from the media that has been posed enough since to wear him out more than a late morning practice in the summer heat - do you feel an extra burden because of your steep cost [two No 1 picks, a No 2 and a pair of No 4s] to the Falcons?

"No pressure," he said. "It's just football."

With Atlanta letting former first-rounder Michael Jenkins flee to free agency, Jones becomes Ryan's second option after All-Pro Roddy White.

Dimitroff does not anticipate a finished product with the tall new guy in jersey No 11, but "our expectations here are that his contributions will be legitimate from day one".