Cliff Avril life and biography

Cliff Avril is an defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.

2010: Team’s starting left end. Has 23 (16 solo) tackles, 6.0 sacks and three pass defenses on the year.
* Recorded a fumble recovery for a 10-yard gain which helped to set up a 4-yard touchdown from RB Jahvid Best on the ensuing drive at Chicago (9/12). Also tallied a solo tackle.
* Inactive vs. Philadelphia (9/19) after suffering a knee and finger injury in opener at Chicago.
* Returned to the starting line-up at Minnesota (9/26) and recorded 3 tackles (2 solo) and a pass defensed. Avril’s deflected pass resulted in a CB Alphonso Smith interception which led to a Lions field goal to end the first half.
* Recorded a career high 2.0 sacks for a loss of 16 yards, five tackles (3 solo), three tackles for loss and had two quarterback hits against the Washington Redskins (10/31).
* Registered a 9-yard loss on sack, and forced a fumble against New York Jets (11/7).
* Inactive (quadriceps) at Buffalo (11/14) and at Dallas (11/21).
* Returned to lineup against New England (11/25), recording two tackles (2 solo).
* Career-high three sacks against Chicago (12/5). Added four tackles (4 solo)

2009: Was slowed early on with a hamstring injury, but appeared in 13 games (11 starts), and recorded 40 tackles (27 solo), three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks.
* Started at LDE at New Orleans (9/13) and recorded one solo stop.
* Inactive with a hamstring injury vs. Minnesota (9/20).
* Posted 5 tackles (4 solo) and split a sack with DT Andre Fluellen for a loss of 4.5 yards vs. Pittsburgh (10/11).
* Recorded a career-high 7 tackles (6 solo) and a sack for a loss of 9 yards at Green Bay (10/18). Avril now has 2.5 sacks on the season.
* Knocked down career-high two passes vs. St. Louis (11/1), and recorded one tackle and one special teams tackle.
* Started and made four tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage vs. Cleveland (11/22).
* Recorded a sack along with two solo tackles in start at Cincinnati (12/6).
* Notched a sack-fumble vs. Arizona (12/20). The sack was Avril’s fourth of the season and ninth of his career.
* Recorded his second sack-fumble of the season vs. Chicago (1/3). The sack was Avril’s fifth of the season and tenth of his career. Avril also made five tackles (three solo) for the second consecutive week.

2008: Regular contributor in defensive end rotation. He is among the best rookie pass rushers this season, and is tied for first among rookies with 5.0 sacks and first among rookies with 4 forced fumbles. He ended the season with 42 tackles (28 solo).
* • Posted first stats of the season vs. Chicago (10/5) recording 5 tackles (four solo, including one tackle-for-loss).
* Recorded his first career sack-fumble for a loss of four yards vs. Washington (10/26) and added five tackles (four solo, including one tackle for loss).
* Tallied third sack-fumble of the season for a loss of 17 yards and a fumble recovery vs. Tennessee (11/27). Play set up Lions TD on a drive that started at the Titans 2-yard line.
* Made first career start vs. Minnesota (12/7) and recorded his fourth sack of the season for a loss of seven yards. Sack against the Vikings game him a sack in three consecutive games.• Forced his fourth career fumble vs. New Orleans (12/21).
* Recorded three solo tackles and a sack at Green Bay (12/28).

COLLEGE:
In 40 games at Purdue, he started in 35 contests, with 12 starts coming at strong-side linebacker and the other 23 at left defensive end. He ranks 12th in school history with 13 sacks for minus-79 yards and finished 11th in Purdue annals with 35.5 stops for losses of 137 yards.
* Named All-Big Ten Conference by the NFL Draft Report and second-team by the league’s media in 2007 after starting all 13 games at left defensive end, where he led the team and tied for tenth in the conference with 6.5 sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown.
* Started the first four games at strong-side linebacker in 2006 before shifting to left defensive end for the final 10 games.
* Played in 10 games as a sophomore in 2005 before a midseason back fracture forced him to sit out for the rest of the year and limited him in drills the following spring.
* Saw considerable action as a true freshman in 2004 while appearing in 12 games, starting four contests at strong-side linebacker.

PERSONAL:
Attended Clay High School (Fla.) where he earned second-team All-State honors as a defensive end as a senior and was rated the 37th best outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com.
* Named to the Florida Times-Union Super 24 team and twice earned All-Conference accolades.
* As a senior led the team to an 11-2 record and registered 80 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage and four passes defensed.
* Named to Class 3A All-State team by the Florida Sports Writers Association in his senior year.
* Lettered in basketball, track and field and weight lifting.
* Retail management major.
* Enjoys playing basketball.

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