By Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Dec 19, 2006 at 3:08 PM
Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, who leads the National Football Conference in receiving yards, was named to the Pro Bowl team today, his first selection since 2002. Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman also was named to the squad, but cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson were not selected in balloting by fans, coaches and players.

The complete squads are available at the NFL's official Web site -- www.nfl.com.

Driver, a 6-foot, 190-pound wide receiver in his eighth year out of Alcorn State, becomes a two-time Pro Bowler, having also been honored in 2002. The NFC’s current leader in receiving yards (1,173 -- fourth in the NFL), Driver has tied a franchise record with his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, following Sterling Sharpe and Pro Hall of Famer James Lofton as one of three Packers to achieve that feat. In addition this year, Driver joined Sharpe as one of two players in team annals to reach 80 catches as many as three overall seasons.

A seventh-round choice in the 1999 NFL Draft (213th overall), Driver is one of the lowest-draft Pro Bowlers in team history. Only Larry McCarren (308) and Don Majkowski (255) were drafted lower overall. Driver also has seven touchdown receptions this year.

Kampman, a 6-foot-4, 278-pound defensive end in his fifth season out of Iowa, earns his first Pro Bowl honor. Like Driver, Kampman was a Day 2 selection in the draft, going in the fifth round (156th overall) in 2002. Currently leading the conference with a career-best 12½ sacks (tied for second in the NFL), Kampman has started 56 straight games at defensive end. He also has 90 tackles (62 solo), three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed.


Drew Olson Special to OnMilwaukee.com

Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.