Before the NIL era began, Alabama football seemed almost untouchable. Alabama in 2012, Alabama in 2013, someone else in 2014, and then Alabama again in 2016, and so on. The Crimson Tide had future Hall of Famers sitting on the bench. The number of first-rounders Nick Saban produced before NIL was downright insane. So, when reporters recently asked current Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer which former Tide player he’d love to coach in 2025, he faced a tough decision, choosing the best of an era overflowing with elite talent.

On October 15th, in the Hey Coach show, when DeBoer was asked which former Bama player he would most love to coach. Kalen DeBoer hesitated for a bit. Kalen DeBoer said, “This is very… trouble,” and did the UNO reverse on the reporter, asking, “What do you think?!” The reporter suggested Bama legend Eddie Jackson. He agreed with a nod, then turned to Chris, the host, and suggested Julio Jones.

Kalen DeBoer immediately said, “Yes, I had a chance to sit down and talk with him, and I could definitely see it. Not just from, obviously, what I saw, most of it was playmaking, but having a chance a year ago a couple times to talk with him — just the intentionality, the focus, the intensity he had. Even just in our conversation, I can see that being a lot of fun.” Jones earned seven Pro Bowl selections, with six of them coming consecutively from 2014 through 2019. Honestly, a great pick by Kalen DeBoer.

Julio Jones is the absolute pinnacle when it comes to wideouts. He was the Jeremiah Smith of CFB during his time. People even called him ‘Waffle House’ because the man was always open. Jones arrived at Alabama as the top-ranked wide receiver in the 2008 recruiting class, known for his peak human size, jaguar-like speed, athleticism, and ability to play through any kind of pain or defense. The GOAT, Nick Saban, himself has said that Jones was one of the biggest “culture changers” for Alabama football.

Jones led the team in receiving every year he played and was a key part of the 2009 National Championship squad. In his three seasons (2008–2010), he racked up 179 receptions, 2,653 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns, which are still among the best numbers in Alabama history. He also earned numerous awards, including SEC Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-SEC.

You might ask, Julio Jones had a great NFL career with the Falcons, with over 13,000 yards, but in college, he only had one 1,000-yard season and averaged five touchdowns per year. Then why is he considered one of the best college wideouts of all time?”

The main reason is simply the type of offense Alabama ran back then. Under Nick Saban in those early years, the Crimson Tide was a super run-heavy team, featuring guys like Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. His quarterback? Greg McElroy, more seen as a game-changer than a gunslinger. If Julio played today, it would be a triple crown season and $2.5 million every year. His real impact was as a standard-bearer and culture changer for Alabama, a legacy that lasted long after his retirement.

Unheard Julio Jones story

Alabama broadcaster Chris Stewart once told a story about Julio Jones that shows exactly the kind of person and leader Julio is. Stewart said, “Coach Saban talked about this. He told me he saw Julio at a practice long after he’d been gone — this was only about three years ago, maybe a year or two before I got there.”

During that practice, one of the players wasn’t giving his best effort. He seemed to be going through the motions. Stewart explained what happened next: “There was a guy kind of out of it a little bit, and Julio, who’s an alum and hadn’t played in more than a decade, walks right up to the guy and says, ‘Hey, that’s not how we do it at Alabama.’”

That one sentence said a lot. Julio didn’t yell or make a big deal; he just reminded the player what it means to be part of Alabama football. Even though he had left the team years ago, he still cared deeply about the program and the standards it stands for.

Stewart said, “That’s what makes a guy like Julio great. It’s not just the numbers or his talent — it’s his leadership and the pride he still takes in the Alabama tradition. You could feel it when I met him last year. He still carries himself like it’s his program, his team.” Makes it easy to see why Kalen DeBoer chose Julio Jones as the former Tide player he’d most like to coach.