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Rebel Roundabout: Hall of Fame calling P-Willy; Treadwell extends NFL career with Colts

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•07/26/24•

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Ole Miss legend Patrick Willis

Ole Miss legend Patrick Willis and the rest of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 will be inducted on Saturday, August 3.

Willis has already received his gold jacket. However, he won’t officially join fellow Rebels Bruiser Kinard (1970) and Gene Hickerson (2007) in Canton, Ohio, until the ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium from 11-2 p.m. CT. 

The other honorees are Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Julius Peppers, Randy Gradishar (senior) and Seven McMichael (senior).

Willis starred for Ole Miss from 2003 to 2006. No Rebel made more All-American teams (13) in a single season. He twice led the SEC in tackles. Willis was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year. In Ole Miss history he’s sixth in career tackles (355) and tied for sixth in TFLs (33).

The 49ers drafted Willis with the No. 11 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a seven-time All-Pro in eight seasons. On five different occasions Willis was first-team All-Pro. 

Willis finished his NFL career with 950 combined tackles (732 solo, 218 assists). He had 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, five fumbles recovered, eight interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

RELATED: NFL’s Top 100: All-time Ole Miss great Laremy Tunsil comes in at No. 71

ELSEWHERE AROUND THE NFL …

Laquon Treadwell, another one-time Rebel great, extended his career this week in signing with the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. The Colts are his eighth team in the last six years.

Ole Miss has the 19th most-active former players (35) in the NFL. Alabama (77) is the national leader. LSU (65) is No. 3, while Georgia (62) is No. 5. Tennessee (40) and Auburn (38) are the only other SEC teams ahead of the Rebels.  

Treadwell was one of three first-round Ole Miss selections in the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s appeared in 81 career games (24 starts) and recorded 111 receptions for 1,242 yards and five touchdowns. He spent his first four pro seasons with the Vikings. 

Treadwell signed with Ole Miss in 2013 as a five-star recruit and the top-ranked wide receiver in the country. He was SEC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American as a senior.

Treadwell pulled in a career-high 82 receptions for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns that year. He had three touchdowns and one of his many 100-yard receiving games in the 2016 Sugar Bowl.

RELATED: Ole Miss’ DK Metcalf named by peers No. 84 overall player in the NFL

Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly (10) and Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (1) celebrate the win over Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. on Friday, January 1, 2016. Ole Miss won 48-20. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman)

OLE MISS’ SLAVIC RECEIVES NCAA POSTGRAD SCHOLARSHIP

Ole Miss tennis star Nikola Slavic has been named a recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year and correspond with each sport season (fall, winter and spring).

Slavic leaves Ole Miss with a sterling resume on and off the court. He was named All-SEC (first team) for the fourth time as a senior and participated at the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships. 

Slavic was the Rebels’ No. 1 in both singles and doubles. He posted records of 20-9 and 21-14, respectively, this year. Slavic led Ole Miss in ranked singles wins (4) and ranked doubles wins (3). 

He graduated with a 3.89 GPA and earned a Bachelor’s — and later a Master’s — in Business Administration-Finance. Slavic was placed on the SEC Academic Honor Roll each of the last four seasons. He’s a four-time ITA Scholar Athlete.

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