AYERS LEAVING BRUINS FOR PROS UCLA FOOTBALL: LINEBACKER WILL FORGO SENIOR SEASON AND APPLY FOR NFL DRAFT.

UCLA junior linebacker Akeem Ayers announced Monday he waschoosing to forgo his senior season with the Bruins to enter the2011 NFL draft.

Ayers, who is projected to go in the first round by many draftexperts, first took to Twitter to reveal his decision before theschool sent out a release.

"So today I decided that (I) am going to forgo my senior year atUCLA and enter the 2011 NFL draft....," Ayers wrote on Twitter lateMonday afternoon.

Attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful.

Ayers was named a Walter Camp Foundation second-team All-American after a season in which he suffered myriad injuries butplayed in all 12 games as the Bruins went 4-8.

The first-team All-Pac-10 selection had 68 tackles, tied for theteam lead with four sacks and added 10 tackles for loss and twointerceptions.

Ayers' production dropped off as injuries took their toll - hestarted with 33 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and two passbreak-ups in the first five games and had 35 tackles, one sack andone pass break-up over the final seven games - his draft statusremained high.

Mock drafts consistently have listed him in the top 15.

"I want to thank my coaches, teammates and everyone at UCLA forall of their help the last few years," Ayers said in the release. "Ihave had a great experience at UCLA and I am grateful that I had theopportunity to attend such an outstanding school.

"I will miss playing with my UCLA teammates next year but I feelthat the decision to go to the NFL is what is best for my family. Iwill always be a Bruin."

Ayers would have returned to lead a defense that will be featurea new coach after defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough was fired inDecember.

The Bruins return all but Ayers and graduating senior MikeSchmitt to a unit that struggled against the run in 2010. Itfinished 108th nationally in rushing defense.

"First of all, you wish Akeem Ayers the greatest and justappreciate what he gave us into what we're building," UCLAlinebacker coach Clark Lea said by phone Monday. "We know he'sequipped with the fortitude and wherewithal to succeed at the nextlevel.

"I am absolutely, 100 percent excited for him. In regards to ourposition, I don't think I've ever been as excited for linebackercorps in my years of coaching."

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel harkened back to two particularAyers plays - interception touchdown returns against Oregon andTemple in 2009 that made highlight reels.

"Akeem has been a big-play performer throughout his career atUCLA and we support his decision to move to the next level,"Neuheisel said in a statement.

"We will miss Akeem, but we look forward to watching him makethose same types of plays on Sundays in the NFL."

A UCLA spokesman said Monday contrary to Internet reports,offensive coordinator Norm Chow had not been fired and his officehad not been cleaned out.

Attempts to reach Chow were unsuccessful, and when reached forcomment Monday night his agent, Don Yee, said his client had nocomment at this time.

Chow drama

jon.gold@dailynews.com