If you’re a junior and have a fairly decent shot at being a first- or second-round pick in the NFL draft, it’d be somewhat difficult to return to college for another season.
If you’re a near-lock to be a Top 20 pick, it’s a no-brainer; you jump early.
The latter is the situation Akeem Ayers finds himself in, and the UCLA linebacker did about the only thing he could do. He jumped.
In a release issued by the school, Ayers announced he was foregoing his senior season and entering the NFL draft.
“I want to thank my coaches, teammates and everyone at UCLA for all of their help the last few years,” said Ayers. “I have had a great experience at UCLA and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend such an outstanding school.
“I will miss playing with my UCLA teammates next year but I feel that the decision to go to the NFL is what is best for my family. I will always be a Bruin.”
“Akeem has been a big-play performer throughout his career at UCLA and we support his decision to move to the next level,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel. “Who will ever forget his interceptions against Oregon and Temple that he turned into touchdowns or his many sacks? We will miss Akeem, but we look forward to watching him make those same types of plays on Sundays in the NFL.”
Despite nagging injuries that limited his production in 2010, he was still a first-team All-Pac-10 performer, as well as earning a spot on the second team of the Walter Camp All-American squad.
