Willis "a beast"

NEW YORK -- One NFL scout called linebacker Patrick Willis "a beast." An NFL coach said Willis is "a rolling ball of butcher knives."

And that was before Willis won The Associated Press 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Willis' dominant performance could have been overlooked because his San Francisco 49ers went 5-11 in a mediocre division. Instead, his league-leading 174 tackles and presence all over the field made him a runaway winner and the `fifth straight linebacker to take the honor.

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