NEW ORLEANS, La. - Former William and Mary standout and current member of the New Orleans Saints Darren Sharper ('97) has been selected as a starter for the NFC Pro Bowl squad. It marks the fifth time Sharper has earned All-Pro distinction during his illustrious 13-year NFL career. The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31 (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida.

One of the league's top free safeties, Sharper has recorded an NFL-best nine interceptions that he has returned for an NFL-record 376 yards. His nine interceptions equals a career high that he established twice previously (in 2005 with the Minnesota Vikings and in 2000 with the Green Bay Packers). He has also set a career high and team record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns this year, while adding 71 tackles (51 solo), a half sack and 15 passes defended.

"This means a lot to me because it's voted on by my peers, the coaches around the NFL and the fans," Sharper said in a release on the New Orleans Saints website. "And it means a lot to me to be voted to the Pro Bowl as a player who is rep-resenting the Saints organization. This is a reflection of what we have achieved as a team. Being voted to the Pro Bowl is a prestigious honor, and I'm very excited about it, and my real goal is to make it a precursor to what I came here for ? and that's going to the bigger Bowl."

Sharper is the NFL's active career leader with 63 interceptions, a figure that ranks tied for sixth all time with Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Additionally, he ranks second all time with 11 interceptions returned for touchdowns and 1,412 interception return yards. He trails only Hall of Famer Rod Woodson in both categories (12 TDs) and (1,483 yards).