Getty Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst was ecstatic to be back in full pads on Monday. He’s also been enjoying taking full advantage of learning from one of the NFL’s best, Julio Jones.
Hurst said during a zoom press conference that he believes Julio Jones is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and is picking his brain whenever he gets a chance.
“It’s fun to get to pick his brain,” Hurst said Tuesday. “The coolest thing about Julio — he’s obviously a superstar on the field, but he’s really humble, and he’ll talk to you, and he’ll tell you what he sees and how he sees the game and kind of give you some pointers.”
Jones Is Still the Best In the League
The 31-year-old, Julio Jones, has already accomplished some incredible record-breaking stats like being the fastest to reach 12,000 yards. Also, having six 1,300 yards-plus seasons (only one behind Jerry Rice). The best part is, he’s not done yet.
Just last season, Jones started all 15 games catching 99 passes for 1,394 yards (14.1 average) and six touchdowns. The 2019 season officially marked Jones’ sixth season of 1,300 yards plus.
Jones, who is still in his prime, is entering the 2020 season as Matt Ryan’s No.1 option once again.
“He’s just so explosive,” Hurst said. “In and out of his cuts, he’s shaking guys loose, creating separation. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
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Hurst Is ‘Coming For It All’
Hurst, a 2018 first-round pick, played subpar for two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. However, with impressive speed, he showed that he had the potential to be better.
While he’s not quite at Julio Jones’ level, he’s on a mission to get there.
“Every time I come back to the huddle, I look at him and I’m like, ‘Hey, what’d you think on that?’” Hurst said. “Or if we’re doing routes on air, I’m like, ‘Hey, what’d you see there?’
“I mean why not? Why wouldn’t you pick a Hall of Famer’s brain? It’s cool having a guy like that at our disposal.”
According to the Falcons’ personal media staff, Hayden Hurst is poised to be the No.1 2020 breakout player of the year and Hurst says he’s “coming for it all.”
Hurst Is Joining A Potent Pass Attack Offense
Unlike in Baltimore, Hurst is joining a very tight end friendly offense under Falcons’ offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.
On a run-heavy Ravens offense, Hurst was targeted 39 times and caught 30 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns in 2019. During his first rookie season, he was targeted 23 times, caught 13 passes for 163 yards, and one score.
Now, Hurst bridges with a passing attack offense that includes Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Todd Gurley.
With Jones and Calvin Ridley drawing most of the attention from the opposing defense, Hurst will likely be an open target. This means he will have plenty of chances to snag some passes and make some plays.
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