On Friday (June 16), former Ashland University All-American linebacker
Michael Ayers had his XFL rights acquired by the Houston Roughnecks during the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft.
Ayers signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 National Football League Draft in late April. He was waived by Seattle on May 15.
Players who were drafted in the XFL Rookie Draft will be placed on XFL rosters with players who finished the 2023 season on active and reserve lists. XFL teams will hold exclusive rights with the players they select in the draft. All players who sign an XFL contract, including players who remain under contract from the 2023 season, will have an "NFL Out" until Tuesday, December 26, 2023, following the conclusion of Week 16 of the NFL season.
Ayers ended the 2022 season at Ashland with 81 total tackles (48 solo), 10½ tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, eight pass breakups, 11 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His 28½ career tackles for loss are tied for sixth-most in program history.
The long list of Ayers senior-season honors included:
- First-team American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America selection, Ashland's first first-team All-American in five years and Ashland's first first-team All-American linebacker in 31 years.
- First-team linebacker on the 2022 D2Football.com Elite 100 Team.
- First-team All-Super Region 1 from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA).
- Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
- First-team All-Great Midwest.
- Finalist for the Cliff Harris Award.
The first season of the third iteration of the XFL was played in the late winter/spring of 2023. Houston finished the regular season at 7-3 and hosted the South Division championship game. The Roughnecks' head coach is long-time NFL head coach and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
