PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions

CLiff avriL
Defensive End
Purdue
5th Year
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 260
Born: 4/8/86
Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Draft: ‘08, R3c (92)-Det
PLayer ProfiLes
Detroitlions.com
Media.Detroitlions.com
Complete biographical information available on Detroitlions.com.
MANE FACTS
‣ Twitter: @cliffavril
‣ Having not started playing football until the 11 th grade, avril looked
up to rB Barry sanders and rB emmitt smith. When he started playing
football, he’d pay attention to lB DeMarcus Ware and guys that
played in the 3-4 scheme.
‣ avril enjoys playing basketball, but has slowed down a little now that
he dedicates much of his time to football. He also likes to sit at home
and play video games.
‣ During the offseason avril likes to go home and chill out with his family
since he doesn’t see them much for half of the year.
‣ after football, avril would like to own a couple of businesses. He
wouldn’t mind owning a few clothing stores, or a few stores in the
mall back at home.
TRANSACTIONS
‣ Drafted by the Detroit lions in the third round (92 nd overall) in the
2008 Nfl Draft.
‣ Designated as the lions franchise Player March 5, 2012. signed tender
august 5, 2012.
PRO
Now in his fifth Nfl season, avril has proven effective as a pass rusher and
has a knack for forcing fumbles while taking down opponent’s quarterbacks.
‣ Has played 57 career games (44 starts) and amassed 129 tackles (94
solo), 30.0 sacks (221 yards), 11 pass defenses, 14 forced fumbles, 5
fumble recoveries (1 returned for a touchdown), and 1 interception
(returned for a touchdown).
‣ set career-high with 11 sacks during 2011 season, and added fumble
and nterception return touchdowns to season resume.
‣ Named NfC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 8 (2011), first of
career, following his performance against the Denver Broncos that
included 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble return for touchdown.
‣ in 2010, registered 8.5 sacks, despite missing three games due to injury.
‣ it didn’t take long for avril to prove himself as a pro during his rookie
season (2008) as he quickly emerged as a regular contributor in the defensive
end rotation. among all rookie pass rushers in 2008, he finished
tied for first with 5.0 sacks and was first with four forced fumbles. He
finished season starting the final four games.
2011: Team’s starting left end. finished season with 36 tackles, Career-high
and team-high 11.0 sacks, 3 pass defenses, 6 forced fumbles (2nd in Nfl),
3 fumble recoveries (tied for 2nd; 1 returned for TD) and 1 interception
(returned for TD).
‣ first lions defensive player since sacks became official in 1982 to register
10+ sacks, 1 fumble return TD and one interception return TD in the
same season. He is only the sixth player in the Nfl to accomplish that
feat since 1982 and the first since Cowboys lB DeMarcus Ware in 2006.
‣ recorded his third-career fumble recovery in home opener vs. Kansas
City (9/18). The recovery came in the fourth quarter on first-and-10 at
the Chiefs’ 26-yard line and set the stage for a lions’ 1-yard touchdown
run by rB Jahvid Best on the ensuing drive.
‣ recorded his 20th career sack (loss of 8 yards) and his eighth career
forced fumble in the lions’ 26-23 overtime win at Minnesota (9/25).
‣ Was a disruptive force against Denver QB Tim Tebow recording 3
tackles (all solo), 2 sacks for a loss of 22 yards, forced 2 fumbles, and
had a 24-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. The fumble return for
touchdown was his first career score.
‣ sacked Bears QB Jay Cutler (10-yard loss) and forced fumble vs. Chicago
(11/13). fourth forced fumble of 2011 tied a career single-season high.
‣ Had a sack and a forced fumble of Packers QB aaron rodgers vs. Green
Bay (11/24). it was his seventh sack of the season taking the team lead
in that category. it was his career-high fifth forced fumble of the season.
‣ avril finished with 8 tackles (7 solo), 2.0 sacks, 3 tackles-for-loss, 1
forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery vs. the Vikings (12/11).
‣ on opening defensive play vs. Vikings (12/11), he registered a 10-yard
sack and forced fumble resulting in a fumble recovery for a touchdown in
the endzone by lB stephen Tulloch. it was his eighth sack this season.
‣ avril stopped Vikings (12/11) on their third drive of game with a 3-yard
sack, establishing a new single-season career high with 9.0 sacks.
‣ avril’s fumble recovery vs. Minnesota (12/11) occurred on final play
of game with lions facing 1st-and-goal at the lions 1-yard line. lB
Deandre levy sacked the Vikings for a 10-yard loss and forced a fumble
that was batted and recovered by avril at the Minnesota 43 yard-line.
‣ He registered 2 sacks and 4 tackles in the lions 28-27 win at oakland.
His two sacks gives him 11 sacks on the season. avril’s 11 sacks are the
most by a lions defensive player since De James Hall had 11.5 in 2004.
‣ avril’s second sack of game occurred at a crucial point when he dropped
the raiders on a 3-yard loss with 21 seconds left. The raiders had the
ball at the 50-yard line and were creeping closer to field goal range.
‣ late in fourth quarter vs. san Diego (12/24), avril picked off a swing pass
from QB Philip rivers to rB ryan Matthews and returned it 4 yards for
a TD. it was his first career interception and second career touchdown.
COLLEGE
avril moved to defensive end in his final two seasons for the Boilermakers
and registered 30 of his 35.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and
12.5 of his 13 sacks from the left end position. in 40 games at Purdue, he
started in 35 contests, with 12 starts coming at strong-side linebacker
and the other 23 at left defensive end. He was 12 th in school history with
13 sacks for minus-79 yards and finished 11 th in Purdue annals with 35.5
stops for losses of 137 yards.
‣ Named all-Big Ten Conference by the Nfl Draft report and secondteam
by the league’s media in 2007 after starting all 13 games at left
defensive end, where he led the team and tied for tenth in the conference
with 6.5 sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown
‣ started the first four games at strong-side linebacker in 2006 before
shifting to left defensive end for the final 10 games.
‣ Played in 10 games as a sophomore in 2005 before a midseason back
fracture forced him to sit out for the rest of the year and limited him in
drills the following spring.
PERSONAL
attended Clay High school (fla.) where he earned second-team all-state
honors as a defensive end as a senior and was rated the 37 th best outside
linebacker in the nation by rivals.com
‣ Named to the florida Times-Union super 24 team and twice earned
all-Conference accolades.
‣ as a senior led the team to an 11-2 record and registered 80 tackles, 9.0
sacks, 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage and four passes defensed.
‣ Named to Class 3a all-state team by the florida sports Writers association
in his senior year.
‣ lettered in basketball, track and field and weight lifting.
AVRIL' S SINGLE-GAME BESTS
Tackles: ..................................................................................................................................... 8 vs. Min 12/11/11
sacks: ............................................................................................................................................3 vs. Chi 12/5/10
Pass Defenses: ..........................................................................................................................2 vs. stl 11/1/09
interceptions ..............................................................................................................................1 vs. sD 12/24/11
interception return yards: ....................................................................................................4t vs. sD 12/24/11
interceptions return Touchdowns: ..........................................................................1 vs. sD vs. sD 12/24/11
long interception:.....................................................................................................................4 vs. sD 12/24/11
fumbles forced: .......................................................................................................................2 at Den 10/30/11
fumbles recovered: .................................................................................... 1 (5 times) last vs. Min 12/11/11
fumble return yards: ...........................................................................................................24 at Den 10/30/11
fumble return Touchdowns:.................................................................................................1 at Den 10/30/11
long fumble return: ..........................................................................................................24t at Den 10/30/11
special Teams Tackles: .................................................................................... 1 (twice) last vs. stl 11/1/09
AVRIL' S DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
Year Tm G S TT ST AT Sk Yds Int Yds TD PD FF FR Yds TD STT
2008 Det 15 4 22 17 5 5 30 0 0 0 0 4 1 10 0 1
2009 Det 13 11 40 26 14 5.5 37.5 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 1
2010 Det 13 13 31 22 9 8.5 61 0 0 0 5 1 1 10 0 1
2011 Det 16 16 36 29 7 11 92 1 4 1 3 6 3 24 1 0
Totals 57 44 129 94 35 30 220.5 1 4 1 11 14 5 44 1 3
POSTSEASON
Year Tm G S TT ST AT Sk SkY Int Yds TD PD FF FR Yds TD STT
2011 Det 1 1 2 1 1 0.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 1 2 1 1 0.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2011 (Det)
Date Opp G S TT ST AT Sk SkY Int Yds TD PD FF FR Yds TD STT
9/11 at TB 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9/18 KC 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
9/25 at Min 1 1 2 2 0 1 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
10/2 at Dal 1 1 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/9 CHi 1 1 4 2 2 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
10/16 sf 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/23 aTl 1 1 1 1 0 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/30 at Den 1 1 3 3 0 2 22 0 0 0 0 2 1 24 1 0
11/13 at Chi 1 1 1 1 0 1 10 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
11/20 Car 1 1 4 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11/24 GB 1 1 2 2 0 1 11 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
12/4 at No 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12/11 MiN 1 1 8 7 1 2 13 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
12/18 at oak 1 1 4 3 1 2 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12/24 sD 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1/1 at GB 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 16 16 36 29 7 11 92 1 4 1 3 6 3 24 1 0
Postseason
Date Opp G S TT ST AT Sk SkY Int Yds TD PD FF FR Yds TD STT
1/7 at No 1 1 2 1 1 0.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 1 1 2 1 1 0.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0