Julio Jones Continues His Rise

He's big, he's fast and he's exciting, but best of all, Julio Jones is a Falcon. If his first two seasons in the league are any indication, he's going to be very good for a long time.

So there's no misunderstanding, everyone can agree that the 2012 season Julio Jones had was one of the best in the league and those kinds of numbers in just in his second season in the NFL put him in a small category among the best pass catchers in the league.

Singularly his 2012 season indicates a player on the rise and when you factor in the rookie season Jones had in 2011, despite missing three games with an injury. Jones' first two seasons show he's a player on the rise and quite possibly already one of the best at his position. Jones was a candidate by many NFL writers before the season began to take another step in his development and respond with a big season and he did just that.

Earning a Pro Bowl big in 2012, Jones posted career highs with 79 catches for 1,198 yards and a Falcons-leading 10 touchdowns. He ranked 11th last season in yards and his receptions was tied for 18th. While those first two stats are impressive, it's Jones' ability to get into the endzone that make him so dangerous and so exciting. Combining his touchdowns from 2011 with last year's total, he ranks tied for ninth in the league over that time period with 18 TDs. That total is the most by any Falcons receiver in history during his first two seasons.

Jones' ability to find the end zone is aided by his big-play ability. Last season he had 14 catches for 25 yards or more, with three of them going for touchdowns of over 40 yards. Those 14 25-plus plays is the second most in Falcons history for a single season, behind only Michael Haynes and his 16 in 1991.