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Patrick Willis, Amobi Okoye, Dwayne Bowe and Brian Leonard among the many players from the 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl making big impacts in the NFL this season.

MOBILE, Ala. (October 9, 2007) -- When Dallas Cowboys kicker Nick Folk split the uprights with a 53-yard field goal as time expired to end Monday night’s thriller with the Buffalo Bills, it not only gave the Cowboys a 25-24 victory, but added another highlight to a season that has been filled with outstanding performances by rookies who played in the 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl.

While 76 players from the 2007 contest made the active, 53-man rosters of the 32 NFL teams to start the season, over 30 have now gone on to become starters for their new teams and several have already developed into some of the best players in the league at their respective positions.

Linebacker Patrick Willis of the 49ers has become a favorite to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award as he currently ranks second among all NFL defenders with 50 total tackles.

“It is very gratifying to see the success that so many of our players from this past year’s game are already enjoying in the NFL,” said Senior Bowl President Steve Hale.

A favorite to garner NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and a top candidate for the overall Rookie of the Year award, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis has simply been dominant throughout the year, recording 11 tackles and a forced fumble in his first NFL game and 12 tackles this past Sunday against the Ravens.

The first-round draft pick currently ranks second among all defensive players in the NFL with 50 total tackles, 35 solos, and has also excelled in pass coverage throughout the year.

But Willis is far from alone, as many other defensive players from the 2007 contest are having big rookie seasons.

Houston Texans' defensive tackle Amobi Okoye has enjoyed a fine start to his NFL career, as his four quarterback sacks ranks first among all NFL rookies.

They include Houston Texans’ defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, who leads all NFL rookies with four sacks, and a trio of defensive backs – Aaron Ross of the Giants, Leon Hall of the Bengals and Buccaneers’ hard-hitting safety Tanard Jackson.

Hall and Ross lead all rookies with two interceptions each, while both of Ross’s picks played key roles the Giants’ 35-24 win over the Jets this past weekend. His first ended a Jets’ scoring threat at their one-yard line, while the second he returned 43 yards for the clinching touchdown.

Other Senior Bowl defensive stars excelling in the NFL including defensive tackle Brandon Mebane of the Seahawks, defensive end Adam Carriker of the Rams, linebackers LaMarr Woodley of the Bengals and Anthony Spencer of the Cowboys, and defensive backs Eric Weddle of the Chargers and Marcus McCauley of the Vikings.

Offensively, several linemen from Senior Bowl 2007 have earned starting nods since opening day and many skill players are beginning to make their presence felt, as well.

Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs is the NFL's top rookie pass receiver, as his three touchdown receptions leads all rookies.

First-round draft picks Levi Brown of the Cardinals, Ben Grubbs of the Ravens and Joe Staley of the 49ers, and second-rounders Tony Ugoh of the Colts, Ryan Kalil of the Panthers, Justin Blalock of the Falcons and Arron Sears of the Buccaneers are just some of the dozen Senior Bowlers who have been starters on the offensive line for their new NFL teams during the season.

Dwayne Bowe of the Chiefs has been the league’s top rookie receiver, as his three touchdown catches leads all rookies. He has also caught 22 passes for 369 yards.

St. Louis Rams running back Brian Leonard is proving to be one of the most versatile backs in the league. Against Arizona this past Sunday, he rushed for 102 yards to become just the second rookie to rush for over 100 yards this season. He also added 33 more yards receiving on five catches, and his 12 catches for 75 yards on the year leads all rookie running backs.

Folk’s game-winning field goal against the Bills gave him 10 field goals in 11 attempts, tops among rookies. He is also a perfect 20-20 on extra points, and his 50 total points is tied for the overall NFL lead.

Brian Leonard of the St. Louis Rams has developed into one of the NFL's most versatile running backs, and became just the second rookie to rush for over 100 yards in a game this season when he gained 102 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Another rookie kicker, Mason Crosby of the Packers, has hit on 9-10 field goals, including a game-winning 53-yarder against the Eagles on opening weekend, while Josh Wilson of the Seahawks leads all rookies and ranks fourth in the NFL in kickoff returns with a 33.0 average.

Over 575 former Senior Bowl players are currently active in the NFL, including many the game’s marquee players such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Urlacher, Jason Taylor, Carson Palmer and Brett Favre.

The next showcase of future NFL stars and top rookies is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2008, as the 59th annual Under Armour Senior Bowl will kickoff at 3:00 p.m. in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Tickets sell for $24, $18 and $12 each and are currently available through the bowl’s website at www.seniorbowl.com or by calling 251-432-4109.