UCLA’s Akeem Ayers tries to improve NFL draft stock

Trying to get back some traction in the NFL draft, UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers went through workouts with 10 other former Bruins on Tuesday.

Ayers improved on the disappointing 4.8-second, 40-yard dash time he ran at the NFL combine, recording times between 4.7 and 4.76. He also went through agility drills for linebacker and defensive linemen.

Whether that was enough to prop up his draft status, which was believed to be slipping toward the second round, remains to be seen.

“I wanted to show that I am a better athlete than I showed at the combine,” Ayers said. “The combine wasn’t the type of player I am. I didn’t want to settle on what I did there.”

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Ayers said he was prepared for the combine, but “it was more a body recovery thing. It wasn’t that I hadn’t worked hard.”

Safety Rahim Moore and kicker Kai Forbath, who also are expected to be drafted, were among the others who worked out. Moore, considered among the top safeties in the draft, went through agility drills but did not run the 40.

Forbath was deadly accurate on field-goal tries, but his point of emphasis was kickoffs. He did not kick off at UCLA, and was intent on demonstrating his leg strength, burying several kicks in the back of the end zone.

“I think I showed today that I can kick off,” said Forbath, who added that as a kicker, “you get to a certain point with stats, but you have to show them in person that you can perform under pressure.”

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Others at the workout were long snapper Christian Young, tackle Micah Kia, defensive tackle David Carter, center Ryan Taylor, fullback Tobi Umodu, defensive back-running back Christian Ramirez, guard Eddie Williams and tackle Darius Savage.

chris.foster@latimes.com

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