Ayers moving up draft board

Robert Ayers’ stock is on the rise.
The former Marlboro County standout has gone from a backup at Tennessee two years ago to a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft, which begins today.
“It’s kind of crazy this happening to me, but I just got to thank God and keep working hard,” Ayers said during a recent radio interview.
Ayers, a defensive end, started only one season at Tennessee but made it count. He led the SEC with 15½ tackles for loss and registered a career-high 49 tackles.
Scouts really started taking notice of Ayers after he went up against Alabama tackle Andre Smith, who also is expected to be a first-round pick.
Ayers also had an impressive showing at the senior bowl where he had 1½ sacks and did well at the NFL combine.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Ayers going to Buffalo with the No. 11 pick, and most mock drafts have him going in the middle to late of the first round.
Ayers had personal visits with the Patriots, Eagles, Bills and Broncos.
NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said this week Ayers might be one of the best players in the draft.
“If he gets a creative defensive coordinator who’s willing to move him around ... three years from now, he’ll be the best defensive player coming out of this draft,” Mayock said.
Ayers also impresses Charlie Casserly, a former GM with the Texans turned NFL analyst.
“He uses his hands well and uses leverage,” Casserly said. “He has outside speed to win on the edge and is a legitimate first-round pick.”
Scouts and analysts also like Ayers’ versatility to either lineup as a defensive end or drop back as a linebacker and go into pass coverage.
“In college, we played a multiple defense, so I feel comfortable doing either thing,” Ayers said.
Ayers rise might have surprised some people, but not Marlboro County coach Dean Boyd, who coached
Ayers in high school.
Ayers had 112 tackles as a senior for the Bulldogs, including 28 in a game against Clover.
“I always thought he had the potential to be an NFL player,” Boyd said. “He played the game with ferocity. He was a student of the game and was always watching football.”
Boyd said he’s fielded phone calls from 26 NFL teams inquiring about everything from Ayers’ playing ability to class attendance and discipline issues.
“If he had gotten in trouble, his paycheck would be a whole lot less,” Boyd said. “Teams wouldn’t want to invest millions of dollars.”
The only blemish on Ayers’ record came during his freshman year at Tennessee when he was involved in a fight.
Ayers was charged with aggravated assault stemming from a fight at a campus party, which left a student unconscious with a broken jaw. The charge against Ayers was reduced to misdemeanor assault. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge and was placed on judicial diversion.
“It definitely was a wakeup call. I was not focused on what I should have been,” Ayers said in October. “I felt like I let my parents, family and coaches down. I needed to take pride and try to turn things around.”
Ayers stayed out of trouble the rest of his time at Tennessee and was one of the team’s captains this season. He also graduated with a degree in African studies in December.
Now Ayers is ready for the next chapter in his life.
“He’s a great success story,” Boyd said. “He understood what his goals were and has worked for every thing he has gotten.”