Patrick Willis

With the 11th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected University of Mississippi linebacker Patrick Willis. As the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the recipient of both the Butkus Award and the Jack Lambert Trophy, Willis was regarded as the finest linebacker in college football at that time.

As a rookie in San Francisco, his impact was felt immediately. Willis notched four sacks, seven quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and led the NFL in both solo (136) and combined (174) tackles. He was named the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned first-team All-Pro honors at linebacker and was the only defensive rookie selected to the Pro Bowl.

Arguably, he played even better in 2009, recording four sacks, 11 quarterback hits and three interceptions – one returned for a touchdown – while again leading the NFL in both solo (114) and combined (152) tackles. His dominant performance cemented his status as one of the league’s premier linebackers and earned him another spot on the All-Pro first team

In 2011, San Francisco hired Jim Harbaugh as head coach, and for the first time in Willis’ career, the 49ers developed a formidable offense to complement their defense. The results paid dividends immediately, as San Francisco battled its way to the first of three consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances. The next year, the 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 to win the NFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XLVII. During the 2012 playoff run, Willis recorded 29 total tackles (26 solo) and played every defensive snap in the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens, tallying 10 tackles (eight solo) in a 34-31 loss that came down to the wire.

Willis’ career ended after the 2014 season – brief but dominant in a way comparable to fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Jim Brown. He tallied 950 tackles (733 solo), 60 tackles for loss, 41 quarterback hits, 20.5 sacks and eight interceptions. In eight seasons, he was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times (2007-2013), earned AP All-Pro honors six times (2007-2012: first-team five times and second-team once) and was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

In the end, Willis’ story wasn’t about tackles or honors only; it was about setting the standard at his position and serving as the backbone of a defense that helped propel San Francisco to heights the franchise hadn’t seen in nearly 20 years. From his explosive rookie season to his final down, Willis played at an elite level, embodying excellence, execution and leadership in helping reshape the blueprint for what teams look for in a defensive cornerstone.