TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones has attended at least two of the Crimson Tide’s first three home games this season to kick off the Kalen DeBoer era.

Jones was one of several Alabama alums at the second game of the season, which featured the unveiling of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, as well as last week’s top-five matchup with Georgia. On the home sideline a lot of the time, Jones caught himself wanting to say something to Alabama’s receivers but didn’t want to interfere with JaMarcus Shephard.

“He came to me and said, ‘Hey, Coach. I was at the last game … and I was on the verge of saying something to the guys and talking to them and saying certain things to them, and I refrained from it because I just didn’t want to step on your toes,’” Shephard recalled.

Shephard, the Tide’s wide receivers coach, quickly quelled any doubts for the former star.

“I made it extremely clear,” Shephard said. “‘Julio, I played zero snaps in the National Football League. Zero. And you’re one of the greatest wide receivers that any of them have really ever known. No, you’ve earned that right by what you did here at the University of Alabama and what you did in the National Football League. You would actually be doing me a disservice by not talking to them.

“‘So no, you say whatever – during the game, after the game, before the game. If you want me to be quiet, Julio, you got it. Do whatever you want to do.’ Because I just respect what he’s done and what he’s meant to this program.

“I mean, it was amazing just to meet him the first time because it’s Julio Jones, man.”

Jones shined at Alabama from 2008-10 and helped Nick Saban win his first national title in 2009 and the first for the university since 1992. He was a first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2011 NFL Draft and went on to lead the league in receiving twice (2015, 2018), be named a first-team All-Pro two times (2015-16) and play for a Super Bowl in his career.

Shephard told reporters after Wednesday’s Vanderbilt practice that he has shown Jones’ film to his wide receivers “forever.” He specifically mentioned an old “Bama Cuts” episode that featured Jones talking about committing to UA despite other receivers already in the class.

“The cream rise to the top,” Shephard said. “And when you talk about Julio Jones, yeah, that’s the cream rising to the top. So I’m trying to get my guys to emulate the things that he did, not only at Alabama but in the National Football League.”

Jones is one of a number of former Alabama players who have been around the program this season, supporting the program after the head coaching change. Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram has twice spoken to the team – once in preseason camp and again before the first road game at Wisconsin. That alumni presence is “super valuable” in recruiting.

“You’ve got guys, current players, former players that are just reiterating some of the same things that we’re saying,” Shephard said. “That the University of Alabama is special because it’s the University of Alabama, and no other program is going to give you the opportunity to raise your brand and what you do than what the University of Alabama (does).

“But they’re living proof of it. Sometimes you can tell young people something, but until they can touch it, feel it, sometimes they don’t really know and understand how much of a difference the University of (Alabama). Hey, recruits. It’s different here at Alabama.”

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