Julio Jones vs Antonio Brown
These are two of the most prolific wide receivers over the past decade. While Antonio Brown only played 1 game this past season, I decided to compare all of their traits including their stats at the very bottom of this post. This is Julio Jones vs Antonio Brown.
Route Running:
Julio Jones should not be able to run routes as well as he does with his size and speed, but he can. That being said, Antonio Brown is the gold standard when it comes to route running. There might not be a better route runner over the past decade than AB.
Winner: Antonio Brown
Run After the Catch:
I was almost leaning in favor of Antonio Brown for this trait. He even found success as a punt returner. The thing is I have seen Julio Jones stiff arm and out run so many people. Antonio Brown is quicker and more elusive, but Julio Jones is a master at using his size to create more yards.
Winner: TIE
Contested Catch:
I talked about Antonio Brown as the gold standard for route running, but the same can be said for Julio Jones. He has a much larger frame than AB and isn’t shy when it comes to using his body to go up for a catch. Both of them complete contested catches at an extremely high level, but Julio gets the slight edge.
Winner: Julio Jones
Hands:
Can’t really crown a winner with this one. Both of these guys have made some ridiculous catches over their career. Their hands are both at the highest level.
Winner: TIE
Speed:
You look at the combine of Antonio Brown and it does not do him justice for his actual speed. He developed tremendously over his time in the NFL and the tape does all the talking as he frequently outruns his competition. I was close to giving Julio Jones the edge with 5 stars, but I don’t think I can hand those out with ease. Tyreek Hill to me is the fastest player in the NFL and should be one of the very few 5 stars.
Winner: TIE
Quickness:
Again, the combine doesn’t do Antonio Brown justice. He developed into one of the most fast twitch guys ever. From his routes to his run after the catch, AB makes guys look foolish. Julio Jones is more of a straight line speed guy and quickness is usually when the shorter faster stepped players get the edge.
Winner: Antonio Brown
Leadership:
Some may argue that this shouldn’t be considered when thinking about the best Wide Receiver, but I disagree. Football is a team sport and when you complain every time you don’t get enough targets, you bring your team down. When the press talks about all of the crazy antics you are up to, it is a distraction. Julio Jones is a team first guy. You never hear a bad thing about him and he is a pure professional. The Falcons see his value as a teammate and he will likely be a Falcon for life because of his leadership
Winner: Julio Jones
Clutch:
Someone from my Instagram page commented that Julio Jones isn’t clutch. Really? Did you not see his catch in the Super Bowl? His game winning catch against the 49ers this past season? Julio Jones is a baller who doesn’t crack under pressure. Antonio Brown has also come up clutch many times, but I have also seen him freak out on the sidelines in crunch time. Julio’s consistency gives him the edge.
Winner: Julio Jones
Antonio Brown Receiving Stats Infographic
Julio Jones Receiving Stats Infographic
In conclusion, these are two players really close when it comes to talent and stats. They have both been dominant forces over this past decade and are two of the best wide receivers ever. I just think Julio is the clear better Wide Receiver. Leadership may have been a cop out stat, but it’s not all about the individual. Julio Jones is everything you want in a Wide Receiver.
