Little did The San Francisco 49ers know that they were going to get a cornerstone to their franchise in The 2007 National Football League Draft. With the eleventh overall pick in the draft, The Niners selected University of Mississippi inside linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis came to an organization with a wining tradition that had fallen on hard times as The Niners had not had a winning season since 2002. When he arrived in San Francisco, Willis had the opportunity to learn from one of the best in Hall of Fame middle linebacker Mike Singletary. Singletary was The 49ers associate head coach/ linebackers coach before being promoted to head coach during the 2008 season. In the four seasons that Singletary worked with Willis, he helped to groom him into the heir apparent to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis as the best middle linebacker in The NFL.
In 2006, The 49ers defense was the 26th ranked unit in football. Since Willis’ arrival they have climbed up the ladder as they are now the second ranked unit in The NFL. As a rookie Willis led The NFL in tackles with 174 which earned him The Associated Press’ NFL Defensive Rookie of The Year Award. In his five-plus seasons in The NFL, Willis has totaled at least 100 tackles on four occasions.
Willis is currently leading a defensive unit that is looking to add a sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy to The 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara. Willis leads a defense that is tough to run on as they are only yielding 91 yards per game which in fourth in The NFL. Ahmad Bradshaw of The New York Giants, Marshawn Lynch of The Seattle Seahawks, and Steven Jackson of The St. Louis Rams are the only three running backs to gain over 100 yards rushing against San Francisco this season, but it took Jackson five quarters to do it in a 24-24 tie between both teams in Week 10. Last Sunday against The New Orleans Saints, Willis and company were able to make Saints quarterback Drew Brees look mortal as they forced him to throw three interceptions and he failed to pass for over 300 yards in the game or record a triple-digit passer rating. What was most impressive about The 49ers defensive effort was that it was done at The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans that is one of the tougher places for a road team to win a football game as Brees is generally unstoppable at home.
After being on losing teams throughout his career, Willis got a taste of the playoffs last season under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. In two playoffs games Willis didn’t disappoint as he had 16 tackles and one sack. Although Willis and The Niners lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in The NFC Championship Game, they earned respect around the league as a winning attitude was back in The Bay Area. Willis got a taste of the playoffs and he appears ready to take that next step. With a record of 8-2-1 through 11 games, The 49ers are in first place in The NFC West and they are currently the second seed in The NFC for the postseason. Willis has been to The Pro Bowl on five occasions and he has also been a five-time All-Pro. At 27-years of age he has done it all on a personal level, now if he can help to The 49ers win a Super Bowl this season he will join 49ers defensive legends such as Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott in San Francisco immortality and he has all the tools necessary to do it.
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