Akeem Ayers

Akeem Ayers

Ayers in 2015.
No. 56 Los Angeles Rams
Position:	Outside linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1989-07-10) July 10, 1989
Place of birth:	Raleigh, North Carolina
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Los Angeles (CA) Verbum Dei
College:	UCLA
NFL draft:	2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39
Career history
Tennessee Titans (2011–2014) New England Patriots (2014) St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2015–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl Champion (XLIX) AFC Champion (2014) 2009 All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention 2009 CollegeFootballNews.com Sophomore All-American 2009 EagleBank Bowl Champion/MVP 2010 All-Pac-10 First Team 2010 Associated Press All-American Third-Team 2010 Walter Camp Foundation All-American Second-Team
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2015
Tackles: 288 Quarterback sacks: 13.0 Interceptions: 3 Forced fumbles: 4 Player stats at NFL.com

Akeem Christopher Ayers (born July 10, 1989) is an American football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and has also played for the New England Patriots. He played college football at UCLA.

High school career

Ayers attended Verbum Dei High School in Los Angeles, where he played for the Verbum Dei Eagles high school football team. He won a CIF championship during his senior season.

College career

Akeem Ayers played for UCLA in college. Ayers is known for his athletic interceptions for touchdowns, one in the 2009 season against Oregon and one against Temple in the 2009 EagleBank Bowl. The latter was the game-winning score of the bowl game and helped him earn him MVP honors. In a post-game interview, he admitted that he slipped, and was just trying to rush the passer on his game-changing play. As he got up, he saw the quarterback looking to pass, jumped up, and pulled in the pass for an interception and score.

On September 18, 2010, Ayers had a key interception against #23 Houston in UCLA's first win against a ranked opponent since 2008. The following week on September 25, he played a key role in the Bruins' second upset against a ranked opponent in a victory over No. 7 ranked Texas Longhorns 34–12 in front of more 101,000 fans in Austin, Texas. Ayers had a key interception, seven tackles, a forced fumble and a sack. He was named Lott IMPACT Player of the Week on September 27. At the end of the 2010 season, his junior year, he declared for the NFL draft.

Statistics

Year	Total Tackles	Solo Tackles	Sacks	Tackles for Loss	Interceptions	DefTD
2008	40	28	4.0	5.0	0	0
2009	75	55	6	13.0	4	3*
2010	68	45	4	10	2	0
TOTALS	183	128	13	29.5	6	3

*Had two interceptions for touchdown and one fumble recovery for touchdown

Professional career

NFL Draft

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	Arm length	Hand size	40-yd dash	10-yd split	20-yd split	20-ss	3-cone	Vert	Broad	BP
6 ft 2½ in	254 lb	33 in	9 in	4.70 s	1.62 s	2.83 s	4.28 s	7.19 s	​34 1⁄2 in	9 ft 5 in	22 reps
All values from UCLA Pro Day

Tennessee Titans

Ayers was selected 39th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2011 NFL Draft.

New England Patriots

On October 21, 2014, the Titans traded Ayers along with a seventh round draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft to the New England Patriots for a sixth round draft choice.

In each of his first two games with New England, Ayers recorded a sack.

St. Louis Rams

On March 12, 2015, Ayers signed a two-year contract with the St. Louis Rams.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · ESPN · Pro Football Reference
• St. Louis Rams bio
• Tennessee Titans bio
• UCLA Bruins bio