| Ayinde Eley | |
| Team: | BC Lions |
| Status: | Active |
| Import: | yes |
| Position1: | Linebacker |
| Birth Date: | 22 October 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Number: | 41 |
| College: | Maryland (2017–2020) Georgia Tech (2021–2022) |
| High School: | Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD) |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 3 |
| Weight Lbs: | 233 |
| Playing Team1: | Carolina Panthers |
| Playing Team2: | Houston Texans |
| Playing Years3: | –present |
| Playing Team3: | BC Lions |
| Career Footnotes: | |
| Career Highlights: | |
| Cfl: | ayinde-eley |
Ayinde "Ace" Eley (born October 22, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Maryland and Georgia Tech. He has also been a member of the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL).
Eley attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. He was rated the No. 2 outside linebacker in Maryland, and a four-star recruit by Scout.com in the class of 2017.[1]
Eley first played college football for the Maryland Terrapins from 2018 to 2020. He was redshirted in 2017.[1] He played in 12 games, starting one, in 2018, recording 13 tackles, one interception, and one pass breakup. Eley appeared in 11 games, starting nine, during the 2019 season, totaling 79 tackles, 0.5 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.[2] He played in three games, starting one, during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, and made 19 tackles.[2]
Eley transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2021 to 2022.[3] [4] He played in 11 games, all starts, in 2021, recording 90 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass breakup.[1] He started all 12 games during the 2022 season, totaling 118 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, garnering second team all-ACC recognition.[1]
After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Eley signed with the Carolina Panthers on May 16, 2023.[5] He was waived on August 29.[6] He was later signed to the team's practice squad on November 7, 2023.[7]
Eley was signed by the Houston Texans on January 22, 2024. He was waived on March 21, 2024.[7]
Eley signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on April 3, 2024. He was moved to the practice roster on June 20, and promoted to the active on June 26.[7]
Eley's father, Donald Hill-Eley, is a football coach.[8] [9]