ASHLAND — Michael Ayers has never visited the Pacific Northwest, but Ashland’s former All-American linebacker can’t wait to get his cleats on the turf in the Emerald City.
The 2022 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Ayers has agreed to sign as a priority rookie free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Ayers wasn’t selected during last week’s NFL Draft, which concluded late Saturday afternoon. By Saturday night, he already had found a home.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Ayers, who arrived at Division II AU as a walk-on defensive back in the fall of 2017. “I’m just excited to get the opportunity to play football again.
“I didn’t even know I was on Seattle’s radar. Their linebackers coach texted me the day before the draft and said they liked my game … but I never really thought I would end up in Seattle.”
AU fans who followed Ayers’ career aren’t surprised to see him in the NFL. He dominated during his final two seasons in Ashland, earning GMAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 before claiming the conference’s top individual honor last fall. He was an American Football Coaches Association first-team All-America selection and a two-time nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, which goes annually to the small-college defensive player of the year.
“We’ve had some great linebackers over the years,” former AU coach Lee Owens said of Ayers before stepping down last fall, “but he’s as good as anyone who’s played here.”
Ayers began turning heads in the fall of 2021, when he made 100 tackles in 10 games after moving to inside linebacker from whip — a hybrid safety/linebacker.
“We moved him to linebacker and he took to it like a fish to water,” longtime AU defensive coordinator Tim Rose said. “You just don’t find players that can make things happen like he does. I’ve not had a player who makes that many plays on a consistent basis.”
The Eagles won the GMAC championship and reached the second round of the Division II playoffs last fall thanks in no small part to Ayers. He registered 81 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Scouts from several NFL teams visited Ashland last fall to get a closer look at Ayers. He participated in the 11th NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. in late-January and, took part in pro days at Ashland and the University of Toledo.
He wasn’t invited to the NFL combine, but most draft pundits saw him either as a late-round draftee or a priority free agent signing.
“A majority of teams showed some interest,” Ayers said. “I knew there was a chance I could end up anywhere.”
The Seahawks finished behind San Francisco in the NFC West standings and qualified for the playoffs. Seattle lost to the 49ers 41-23 in the Wild Card game.
NFL teams can carry up to 90 players on their preseason rosters. The Seahawks currently have 63 players listed on their official roster, including the 10 rookies selected in last week’s draft.
Next up for Ayers is a rookie mini-camp in the coming weeks. Then comes a three-phase off-season workout program. Training camps traditionally open in late-July.
“I need to make sure I arrive in the best shape possible and ready to learn,” Ayers said. “I have plenty to do between now and when I report.”
While it remains to be seen how his career will play out, Ayers will remember the time he spent in Ashland fondly.
“If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Ayers said. “The friends and relationships I made there were amazing.”
