Julio Jones isn’t convinced the fastest man alive would be suited to play in the NFL.
The Atlanta Falcons wide receiver was speaking to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com and discussed Bolt’s dominance. Jones was complimentary of Bolt’s amazing quickness.
“Wooo … wooo,” Jones said, marveling at Bolt’s blazing speed. “Bolt, he’s amazing. Amazing what he can do out there as far as his speed and the length. (He’s) 6-5, I think. Those guys, once he opens up, they really don’t stand a chance, just how much ground he covers when he gets going. But he’s very impressive. Knowing he’s going to win, you still watch it. It’s exciting, though.”
Despite being a fan of the nine-time gold medalist, Jones wasn’t ready to say Bolt could transition from the track to the NFL.
“You’ve got to have that burst to get going,” Jones said. “Like (U.S. sprinter) Justin Gatlin. Justin Gatlin gets out quick. There’s like a bunch of Justin Gatlins in football. They get to that speed quick and they can catch it before you open up. So it would be hard for (Bolt) to really pull away from guys in football.”
Distance running and football aren’t the same thing, but I’d imagine the fastest athlete in the world would be able to at least outrun some NFL cornerbacks. Jones did make a good point, saying Bolt would have to change directions while running routes, which he’s not used to doing.
I get what Jones is saying. Football is a totally different sport than simply running. However, it’s never wise to ever count Usain Bolt out.
[ESPN]