Former Foley High School student and football star Julio Jones was selected sixth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2011 National Football League Draft on Thursday.

Jones played wide receiver for the Foley High School Lions and played for three seasons at the University of Alabama before declaring for the draft after his junior season.

“I’m really pleased for Julio,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said in a statement released after Thursday’s draft. “Initially a lot of people had a lot of questions about a lot of things about Julio. I think the more they got to know him, the more they fell in love with him. In terms of the kind of person he is, the kind of character he has and the kind of competitive character and toughness that he plays with. There is no doubt in my mind that he has great hands and all of these people that question that – he has made a lot of great catches. He has done a phenomenal job for us and it is great to have him in Atlanta. It is a big city in the south and a close city for us and a place that we do a lot of recruiting. We are excited about having the opportunity to see him in the future. Atlanta is going to love him.”

Jones had 78 receptions for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011. He finished his Alabama career second in school history in catches and receiving yards.

The pick was originally held by the Cleveland Browns; but the Falcons traded their first-round, second-round and fourth-round picks in the 2011 draft, along with their first- and fourth-round picks in the 2012 draft.