Robert Ayers life and biography

Robert Earnest Ayers Jr. was born on Sept. 6, 1985, in Jersey City, N.J. Robert Ayers is an American football outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos 18th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.

• A second-year linebacker who totaled 18 tackles, two pass breakups and one fumble recoverycin 15 games (1 start) as a rookie for Denver in 2009.
• Notched the longest scoring fumble return by a Broncos rookie in team history with his 54-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football vs. Pittsburgh (11/9/09).
• Posted multiple tackles six times for the Broncos as a rookie in 2009, including in five consecutive games early in the year.
• Led the University of Tennessee in tackles for a loss during each of his final two years at the school, totaling 27.5 tackles for negative yardage over that stretch.
• Earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior at Tennessee in 2008, starting all 12 games at defensive end and leading the conference with 15.5 tackles for a loss
in addition to pacing Tennessee’s defensive line with 49 tackles (34 solo).
• Shared the Andy Spiva Award as Tennessee’s most improved defender in 2008 while helping the Volunteers tie for third in the country in total defense (263.5 ypg.) and rank 10th in the nation in scoring defense (16.8 ppg.).
• Selected by the Broncos in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 8/3/09.

QUICKLY: Ayers enters his second season with the Broncos after being drafted in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft... Notched the longest scoring rumble return by a Broncos rookie in team annals with his 54-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football vs. Pittsburgh (11/9/09)... Posted multiple tackles six times for the Broncos as a rookie in 2009, including in five consecutive games from Week 4-8.

2010: Ayers registered his first career sack (5 yds.) at Jacksonville (9/12) along with four quarterback hits and five tackles (4 solo). He combined with LB D.J. Williams to sack Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck for a three-yard loss in the first quarter of the home opener versus Seattle (9/19) on third down to force a Seahawks punt... Brought down RB Donald Brown for a 1-yard loss in the first quarter against the Colts (9/26)... Tackled RB Chris Johnson twice for 1-yard losses and once for no gain while also registering one hit on QB Vince Young at Tennessee (10/3).

2009: Selected by the Broncos in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, Ayers totaled 18 tackles (13 solo), two pass breakups and one fumble recovery in 15 games (1 start) for Denver as a rookie... Posted the longest fumble return touchdown by a rookie in club annals with his 54-yard score on Monday Night Football vs. Pit. (11/9)... Registered multiple tackles in five consecutive games (Games 4-8) and six times for the season... Made his first career start at Phi. (12/27) and recovered a fumble on special teams in that contest.

COLLEGE: Ayers totaled 113 tackles (80 solo), nine sacks (61 yds.), one interception (8 yds.) and four pass breakups in 48 career games (14 starts) at the University of Tennessee... Registered a team-high 27.5 tackles for a loss during his final two seasons for the Volunteers... Started all 12 games at right defensive end as a senior, totaling 49 tackles (34 solo), three sacks (29 yds.), 15.5 tackles for a loss (63 yds.) and one interception (8 yds.) to earn second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors... Led the SEC in tackles for a loss (15.5) while pacing the Volunteers’ defensive line in tackles (49) as a senior... Played all 14 games (0 starts) at right defensive end as a junior and posted 34 stops (25 solo) and two pass breakups while leading the team with four sacks (19 yds.) and 12 tackles for a loss (40 yds.)... Appeared in 13 games (2 starts) as a sophomore and had 25 stops (18 solo), one sack (7 yds.), three tackles for a loss (15 yds.) and one pass breakup... Played nine games (0 starts) as a redshirt freshman, posting five stops (3 solo) and one sack (6 yds.) for the Volunteers.

PERSONAL: Ayers was an all-state selection as a linebacker during his senior year at Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, S.C.... Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas as a senior... Rated the third-best linebacker prospect in the nation and the second-best overall prospect in South Carolina by PrepStar... Had 112 tackles and five interceptions while handling kickoff return duties as a senior... Posted 94 stops, eight sacks and three interceptions as a junior... Ran the 100 meters and was part of his high school’s 4x100 meter relay team... Majored in African studies at Tennessee...

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