Willie Lanier

Born in Clover, Virgina, Willie Lanier came to Morgan after graduating from Richmond's Maggie Walker High School. Became an immediate impact player for the Brears, being named Small College All American his junior and senior years. A second round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. Willie was drafted behind Notre Dame's Jim Lynch another linebacker. As the story goes, Jim played in the College Football All-Star game and missed the first two weeks of practice. By the time he joined the Chiefs, Willie was the starting middle linebacker and the first round draft pickhad to move to the outside. Missed only one game during his 10 year career, Willie was nicknamed "Contact" because of his ferocious tackling. He intercepted 27 passes for 440 yards and was named to six Pro Bowls and was the defensive star of Super Bowl IV when the Chiefs upset the Minnesota Vikings. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Willie wore number 65 in college and number 63 in the pros. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.