The Prospect Playbook: Julio Jones (WR-Alabama)

Too often, scouting reports describe. They detail. They tell. But they don't show. So I figured a series looking at the plays the prospects made (and the ones they didn't) would be of interest to the community. Am I right? I'm sure you'll let me know.

Hopefully, this will be a series that people get behind, and (with your constructive criticism) helps us all understand the sea of prospects a bit better.

Today, I'll look at some plays Julio Jones was involved in during the Capital One Bowl, a lopsided affair in which Bama trounced Michigan State, 49-7.

 Let's go.

Alabama ran the Spartans into the ground, outgaining them by 323 yards on the ground... as in 275 to -48.  Yikes.  With such an obvious mismatch, Jones and the passing game was used more as a complement than a focus of the gameplan.  He would end up with just three catches for 49 yards, but between those receptions and a 35 yd. touchdown run, I think we can find something in the tape.

1:23, 1st Q - 3rd & 9 from the Bama 39 (Bama 7 - MSU 0)

This is an obvious play to get Jones involved, as to this point his only play was a busted reverse on Bama's first possession.  It's a relatively simple play, dragging both Jones (#8) and his fellow junior wideout Darius Hanks (#15) across the field to the weak side.  Here's how it looks:

Michigan State is going to blitz two linebackers on the weakside leaving a huge space for Jones to sit in; Bama QB Greg McElroy picks up the defense and hits Jones in stride to take it across the field for a first down:

Jones does a nice job of sidestepping S Marcus Hyde to make sure he gets the first down as he takes the contact from CB Johnny Adams with ease.  Not the most difficult first down, but Jones has a knack for making the difficult look routine.

0:31, 1st Q - 3rd & 6 from the MSU 43 (Bama 7 - MSU 0)

This play, the final play of the first quarter, is just three plays later on the same drive.  Jones is going to be isolated against Spartan CB Chris L. Rucker who is playing injured - not a huge help for any CB trying to cover Julio.  When Marquis Maze motions to the strong side, McElroy picks up on the man coverage and knows he's likely going to have Jones open on a comeback right at the first down marker.  The two keys are the timing of the throw to hit Jones right as he turns, and for Jones to run the route of the appropriate distance to make sure he gets a first down for the Tide.  Everything ends up working out just right:

Not incredibly difficult, but due to McElroy timing and placing the throw correctly and Jones running a perfect first down comeback, Bama sustains their drive into the second quarter.  It's not the flashiest play, but it's something a lot of NFL teams, including the St. Louis Rams, are in dire need of - simple intermediate routes run to open spaces.  The next play is going to play along the same lines, but it's going to grab a larger chunk of yardage in the process.

15:00, 2nd Q - 1st & 10 from the MSU 36 (Bama 7 - MSU 0)

On the next play, following the break, Jones is going to show off a bit more ability.  Here's how the play is drawn up:

Jones is going to end up recognizing the man coverage and cuts well underneath the safety at the back, S Marcus Hyde again.  Jones makes this loo easy with a nice break into the middle of the field.  McElroy throws it just a bit behind him, but Jones secures it for an easy 28-yard gain setting up first and goal from the MSU 8.  Let's check the video:

It's a relatively easy throw for McElroy who only has to throw into the space he knows Jones is going to create by waiting to break. That delay ensures Hyde can't curl his coverage inside, but instead has to break and re-accelerate.  We've got one last play to look at in the edition of the Prospect Playbook:

4:01, 2nd Q - 3rd & 1 from the MSU 35 (Bama 21 - MSU 0)

Alabama has really opened the game up by this point, and they're starting to get the running game going with the two-headed hydra (can you have a two-headed hydra? I'm not a hydra-ologist) of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson.  But before completely shutting down Jones' opportunities for the day, he's going to get one last play designed for him: another reverse.  Unlike the failed attempt earlier in the game, Jones is going to make his own block. Alabama LT James Carpenter fails to keep MSU senior DE Colin Neely out of the backfield, but Jones fakes taking it inside of Carpenter.  When he does, Neely spins back upfield as Jones rolls outside with plenty of room to run.

You get a good sense of his acceleration taking it around the corner, and he flashes some solid speed getting up the sideline past S Marcus Hyde (echo...). The only problem is, for Jones to have gotten a touchdown, he would need a real block from QB Greg McElroy (NOTE: Jones scores on this play):

Who said quarterbacks can't block?  Great play by Jones to create his own lane, a great finishing effort by McElroy to make sure the Tide get six points out of the play, and a short, albeit productive, day for Julio Jones.

So that's it for this edition of the Prospect Playbook.  Let me know what you want more of and what you want less of in the next edition. This is for the community, so hit me up with your feedback. Holler.