Former Reb Willis Headed to Pro Bowl as Rookie

SAN FRANCISCO - Former Ole Miss Rebel and current San Francisco 49er linebacker Patrick Willis has been selected to participate in the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl.

Willis has proven to be one of the top young defenders in the NFL as a rookie, leading the league with 190 tackles. He is on pace for the most tackles by a defender ever in NFL history and was named NFC Defensive Rookie for the Month of October. Willis has also had two 20-plus tackle performances on the year, notching a 49ers-record 21 tackles against Arizona (11-25-07) and 20 against Carolina (12-2-07).

The 49ers also honored Willis as a co-winner of the team's Bill Walsh Award. Willis becomes the first rookie to win the award, which was established in 2004 in honor of San Francisco's Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh.

Willis topped the SEC in tackles and earned first team All-America distinction in each of his final two seasons at Ole Miss. As a senior, he won the Butkus Award and Lambert Trophy as the nation's top linebacker.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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