Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece was named to his first Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Sunday. Reece, who was selected as a first alternate for the AFC squad, replaces Baltimore Ravens FB Vonta Leach.
Reece and teammate K Sebastian Janikowski in December were named first alternates for the NFL's all-star game, to be played at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium on Jan. 27.
One of the NFL's most versatile players, Reece played in all 16 games with 14 starts in 2012, making 10 starts at fullback and four at running back when the Raiders lost both Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson to high-ankle sprains midseason.
The 6-foot-1, 255-pound fullback had a career-high 59 rushing attempts for 271 yards in 2012, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also ranked second on the team with 52 catches for 496 yards and one touchdown, ranking fourth among NFL running backs in receptions. His 9.5 yards per reception marked an NFL high for running backs.
Thrust into action at running back, Reece posted his first-career 100-yard rushing game on Nov. 18 vs. New Orleans, totaling 103 yards on a career-high 19 carries. He added 90 receiving yards in that contest, nearly becoming the first Raiders since Marcus Allen in 1986 to top 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in a single game.
The native of Inglewood, Calif., joined the Raiders in 2008 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Washington, where he played wide receiver. Reece spent the entire 2008 season and the majority of the 2009 campaign on the Raiders' practice squad, becoming a starter for the Silver and Black in 2010. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate in 2011.
