Akin Ayodele
Ayodele with the Dolphins in 2009
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | September 17, 1979 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Dallas, Texas | ||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Irving (TX) MacArthur | ||||||||
| College: | Purdue | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2002 / Round: 3 / Pick: 89 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Akinola James "Akin" Ayodele (/ˈeɪkən ɑːjoʊdɛˈleɪ/; born September 17, 1979) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue. He was also a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills.
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Early years
Ayodele attended MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, where he was named All-District as senior as a linebacker and tight end.
Although he had good grades in high school, he was missing a course to be able to accept the scholarship from Purdue University, so he enrolled at Coffeyville Community College for one year. He was switched to defensive end, registering 101 tackles, 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries. He received second-team NJCAA All-American, All-Jayhawk and Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. At the time, he ranked second on the school all-time tackles for loss in a season (33).
Ayodele was a three-year starter at defensive end for Purdue University. As a sophomore he recorded 64 tackles (19 for loss) and 11 sacks. The next year he started the first 5 games at linebacker, registering 66 tackles (15 for loss), 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, 6 passes defensed and 2 fumble recoveries. He finished his career with 194 tackles (131 solo), 29 sacks, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and 11 pass deflections. He was named the Jimmy Rogers, Jr. Most Valuable Lineman at the 2001 Wells Fargo Sun Bowl.
Ayodele was named first-team All-Big Ten Conference as a senior and second-team All-Conference as a sophomore and junior. He is tied with Jeff Zgonina for second on Purdue's career-record list with 29 sacks, topped only by Rosevelt Colvin with 33.
Professional career
Jacksonville Jaguars
Ayodele was selected in the third round (89th overall) of the 2002 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the intention of playing him at linebacker. He became a starter at outside linebacker in his second season.
His best year came in 2003 with a total of 150 tackles, one sack and 2 interceptions. He never missed a game and was the first player in franchise history to record at least 100 tackles in four consecutive seasons.
Dallas Cowboys
In 2006, he signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent, to play inside linebacker in the team's 3-4 defense and help shore up their run defense. Coincidentally, as a child growing up in Irving, Ayodele was a ball boy for the Cowboys.[1] In his first year he recorded 84 tackles.
After the team signed free agent Zach Thomas, he became tradable. On April 25, 2008, Ayodele was traded along with tight end Anthony Fasano to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a fourth-round pick (#100-Tyvon Branch) in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Miami Dolphins
With the Miami Dolphins he reunited with former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, who was the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations. In 2009 he recorded 70 tackles (60 solo), a forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries. He was released on March 5, 2010.
Denver Broncos
Ayodele signed with the Denver Broncos on April 24, 2010. He was assigned number 51 on April 29. He was released on August 24.[2]
Buffalo Bills
On September 10, 2010, the Buffalo Bills signed Ayodele to take the spot of LB Kawika Mitchell after the team placed him on the injured reserve list.[3] He switched to number 50.[4] He wasn't re-signed at the end of the season.
Personal life
"Akin" is a short name for "Akinola", which in Yoruba language means 'the brave and wealthy one'. His younger brother Remi Ayodele played defensive tackle in the NFL.
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akin Ayodele. |
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- 1979 births
- Living people
- African-American players of American football
- People from Irving, Texas
- Sportspeople from Dallas, Texas
- Players of American football from Texas
- American people of Nigerian descent
- American people of Yoruba descent
- Yoruba sportspeople
- American football defensive ends
- American football linebackers
- Coffeyville Red Ravens football players
- Purdue Boilermakers football players
- Jacksonville Jaguars players
- Dallas Cowboys players
- Miami Dolphins players
- Buffalo Bills players
