What was Hall of Famer Patrick Willis’ rank in high school? A look at NFL star’s career in the early days

By Viraj Mali

Modified Aug 03, 2024 16:01 GMT

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Patrick Willis, the former San Francisco 49ers' linebacker, had a short but outstanding NFL career.

The 6-foot-1 athlete out of Ole Miss played all his eight seasons in San Francisco and made a name for himself as one of the best defensemen in the league. He ultimately ended up with a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Willis was picked 11th overall by the Niners in the 2007 NFL Draft. The linebacker hit the ground running as he had a terrific rookie season, culminating in a Rookie of the Year Award. In the following seven seasons, Willis was a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.

He was also named to the 2010s All-Decade team as he was a two-time league solo tackles leader and two-time NFL combined tackles leader. Willis garnered 950 total tackles, 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, and 8 interceptions during his time in San Francisco.

Let's take a look at Willis' high school career and his rise to becoming one of the best linebackers of his generation and a Hall of Famer.

Patrick Willis' high school days

Patrick Willis played high school football at Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central High School in Bruceton, Tennessee. He was a three-star recruit, according to Rivals.com, and had an impressive high school career. Willis was ranked as the 60th linebacker in 2003.

The Tennessee native had a rough childhood, but that didn't stop him from reaching his goals and carving out an excellent NFL career. Willis was a two-time All-State selection, Regional Most Valuable Player, and West Tennessee Player of the Year.

He was also the first player in Tennessee's history to win both the Mr. Football Award for a Lineman (as a linebacker) and the Mr. Football Award for a Back (as a tailback) in the same season.

During his recruitment, he chose Ole Miss over another top-tier college program, Memphis. He played for the Rebels from 2003 to 2006 and was a two-time First-Team All-SEC selection. He accumulated 177 solo tackles, 6 sacks, and an interception in three college playing years.

Willis had a very successful college career, winning the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2006 and the prestigious Dick Butkus Award in the same year. He was also named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.