Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones is leaving school after his junior season for the 2011 NFL Draft. Jones is coming off a 78-reception, 1,133-yard, seven-touchdown season. He figures to be one of the first wideouts chosen and could be a top-10 draft pick.

Strengths

• Size (6-foot-2 3/4, 220 pounds)
• Deceptive speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash)
• Game-changing, big-play ability
• Physicality - challenges in traffic and is very difficult to bring down
• Released easily from the line, uses hands well
• Plays through pain (including a broken hand in 2010)

• Potential for dominance

  Deep threat with excellent ability to gain yardage after the catch
• Tracks the ball well over his shoulder
• Good, willing blocker
• Improved his route-running ability considerably as a junior
• Fearless over the middle
• Charitable off the field
• Explosive lower body: 38 1/2-inch vertical jump, 11-foot-3 broad jump

Weaknesses

• Hands - despite making highlight reel catches, too many balls hit his body and pads
• Concentration lapses, which usually lead to drops
• Injury concerns (moderate injury history; currently recovering from a fractured foot bone)
• Improved footwork as a route runner but still needs work

Expected draft placement

Jones checks in on most boards as the No. 2 receiver behind Georgia's A.J. Green and ranks as a top-10 overall talent for most experts. Despite being a talent of that level, Jones may not go until the middle of the first round because of his recent foot surgery.

The St. Louis Rams (No. 14) seem most likely to draft Jones to give Sam Bradford a dynamic receiver with star potential, but the Washington Redskins (No. 10) could snatch him up before St. Louis is on the clock. Santana Moss is getting up there in years and will be an unrestricted free agent.