When Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones walked off the Georgia Dome turf following his team’s 44-21 NFC Championship Game victory against Green Bay, an entire town walked with him.

It wasn’t the city of Atlanta, however, but rather his hometown of Foley, Ala.

Even in his early years, Jones captivated the citizens of Foley. The former Alabama star was a physical specimen with a tireless work ethic who seemed destined to become the All-Pro that he is today.

Before Jones became a household name, however, only the residents of his hometown were lucky enough to watch him on a weekly basis.

Very few people watched him more closely that Todd Watson, Jones’ head coach at Foley High School.

Watson, who is now the director of football operations and director of high school relations at Troy University, has done a lot of reminiscing this week as his former receiver prepares to play in the Super Bowl.

“I’ve had the opportunity to coach some really good players and guys that have gone to the NFL,” Watson told Saturday Down South. “But Julio was a one-of-a-kind type of athlete, I’m really excited for him. …

“We were very proud of Julio, and not just because of his athletic accomplishments, but how he’s represented himself, his school and his community since he left Foley.”

Watson coached several future NFL players during his time at Foley, including San Diego Chargers tackle D.J. Fluker and former Carolina Panthers safety Robert Lester. Even at a young age, though, Jones was proving himself to be a cut above everyone else.

At practice, Watson recalled lining Jones and Lester up against one another in one-on-one drills. Lester, who went on to join Jones at Alabama, was one of the few players capable of matching the dominant receiver.

During games, Jones showed why only a future NFL player could hold his own against him in practice.

Jones began his high school career as a running back. When Watson took over, he moved the rising sophomore over to wide receiver, which proved to be a very wise move. Jones took to his new position well, catching 51 passes for 805 yards and eight touchdowns.

He built upon those numbers as a junior, catching 75 passes for 1,301 yards and 15 touchdowns. In his final season, despite dealing with a nagging ankle injury, Jones had 68 receptions for 1,181 yards and 16 touchdowns.

It wasn’t just the stats that made Jones such a popular player in the state of Alabama, however. He earned a reputation for making the incredible seem easy, something he is still doing against the best players on Earth.

“There’s a catch – I believe it was against Sidney Lanier – in a first-round playoff game, but we’ve got the ball backed up on maybe our 2- or 3-yard line and we’re just throwing him a go ball,” Watson recalled when asked about his favorite catch. “He’s lined up as an outside receiver to the left, and the balls not thrown very well; it’s a little long and it’s way outside.

“It looks like the ball is going out of bounds, so when the ball was thrown, we were just like ‘okay, punt team.’ And he adjusts to the ball in the air, makes an over-the-shoulder, one-handed catch with his left hand and stays in bounds. And you’re just like, ‘that’s not possible.’”

That catch, which is the final play on the highlight reel below, is just one example among many where Jones made everyone in attendance, on either sideline, look on in awe.

There have been many high school players over the years who have been dubbed “generational talents” or “can’t-miss prospects,” but what truly separated Jones was his competitive fire.

It’s not enough to have the physical tools, a player must also work hard at improving his natural gifts if he hopes to become one of the greats.

Jones has done that and more. After Foley, he went on to become one of the best receivers in college football while jump-starting the Alabama dynasty. Upon reaching the NFL, Jones quickly blossomed into one of the most popular and exciting players in the league.

He’s continued to progress with each and every season, and Jones now leaves NFL defenders in his wake the way he used to while running up and down the field at Foley High School.

“I’ve done this a long time and seen a lot of very gifted athletes,” Watson said. “Because they were very gifted, they didn’t have to work as hard because it just came natural to them and they were naturally better. I’ve seen a lot of kids who were not very talented but have such a drive and a desire and a competitiveness that they willed themselves to be a very good player.

“What was unique about Julio was that, not only was he an athletic specimen, but he possessed that inner motivation, that inner drive to be successful. When you had that athleticism and that drive together, now, you don’t just have a great high school player, great college player or great NFL player. You’ve got a multi-year Pro Bowler at the top of his game.”

It’s hard to imagine that Jones has any more room left to improve his game, but he won’t be satisfied until he’s reached the pinnacle of his ability.

For a player who has always shined brightest in the biggest games, there is no greater moment than playing in a Super Bowl. Now that he has this opportunity, everyone will be waiting to see what the Pride of Foley has in store.

William McFadden covers the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for Saturday Down South. For insight on these two SEC powerhouses, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.