Over at The Ringer, the new website from former ESPN personality Bill Simmons, Robert Mays has penned a new feature on Julio Jones, titled “The NFL’s Chosen One.”

The feature opens with Jones in high school, and discusses his recruitment. Mays talked to former Alabama assistant Lance Thompson. The former colleague of Nick Saban relayed a humorous anecdote about the coach losing his patience with Jones:

For all of his stone-faced posturing, though, Saban — then entering his second season with the Tide after a stint with the Miami Dolphins — was frantic behind closed doors. “I bet from the Sunday dead period to Wednesday’s signing day, Nick Saban walked into my office 100 times asking, ‘Did you talk to Julio?’ Did you talk to [his mom]?’” says Thompson, the former Bama assistant. “We didn’t know for sure until he put on that hat.”

Jones’ commitment was cause for celebration among the Alabama staff after a frustrating 2007 season:

The night he made his commitment official, picking Bama over Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech, the Crimson Tide staff had what Thompson describes as “a hell of a party” at a restaurant in town. “You have to understand the circumstances with Alabama football,” he says. “We’d just gone 7–6, lost to Auburn for I think the sixth time in a row.” Thompson claims the staff knew that day: Julio was the one who would turn the Tide.

A “hell of a party” was certainly warranted. Jones was instrumental in Alabama’s 2008 SEC West title and 2009 14-0 national championship season. The current Atlanta Falcons wideout finished with 2,653 yards and 17 touchdowns.

For any Crimson Tide fans looking to re-live the success of the Jones era, Mays’ feature is a fascinating read.