ACC Leads With 22 Players Named to Pro Bowl

by Press Release - Wed Dec 20 09:25:01 GMT-04:00 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all college conferences nationally with 22 players named to the 2006 NFL Pro Bowl rosters. Eight of the 12 current league members had at least one former player selected.

Miami leads all schools nationally with six players selected while North Carolina was second with four. NC State tied with Georgia, Oklahoma and USC for third nationally with three players honored. Clemson, Florida State, Maryland and Virginia each had two players selected while Virginia Tech had one.

Among conferences with multiple selections, the Pac-10 was second to the ACC with 14 players selected while the SEC was third with 11. The Big Ten had nine players named followed by the Big 12 (8), the Mountain West (5), Big East (2), Mid-American (2), Sun Belt (2) and Western Athletic (2).

NOTEABLES: Fourteen of the ACC’s 22 selections are from the NFC while eight will be playing for the AFC … Philadelphia DB Brian Dawkins (Clemson) and St. Louis WR Torry Holt will both be making their sixth Pro Bowl appearances … Chicago’s Devin Hester (Miami), who has set an NFL record this season with six combined kick returns for touchdowns, made the team in his rookie season … San Francisco’s Frank Gore (Miami), the NFC’s rushing leader with 1,491 yards will start at tailback for the NFC … New York Giants three-time All-Star running back Tiki Barber will team with his brother Ronde, a cornerback and four-time Pro Bowl choice from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on the NFC squad for the third year in a row … Atlanta’s Alge Crumpler (North Carolina), who leads NFC tight ends with 677 yards, and New York Giant TE Jeremy Shockey (Miami) are pro bowl-bound for the fourth time … San Diego OLB Shawne Merriman (Maryland) and QB Philip Rivers (NC State) are among an NFL-high nine Chargers named to the Pro Bowl.

2006 NFL Pro Bowl Selections from current ACC schools

Pos Player School NFL Team

FS Brian Dawkins Clemson Eagles

KR Justin Miller Clemson Jets

WR Anquan Boldin Florida State Cardinals

OT Walter Jones Florida State Seahawks

DT Kris Jenkins Maryland Panthers

OLB Shawne Merriman Maryland Chargers

RB Frank Gore Miami 49ers

TE Jeremy Shockey Miami Giants

KR Devin Hester Miami Bears

WR Andre Johnson Miami Texans