| Currentnumber: | 4 |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 1987 |
| Birth Place: | Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Death Place: | Port Orange, Florida |
| Currentposition: | Cornerback |
| Pastschools: |
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| Highschool: | Mainland |
Avery Jamal Atkins (May 29, 1987 – July 5, 2007) was an American football cornerback. A highly touted prospect, he died in 2007 at the age of 20.[1]
A native of Daytona Beach, Florida, Atkins attended Mainland High School, where he was an All-State cornerback and running back. Regarded as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he chose Florida over numerous offers, including Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, and South Carolina. Atkins was the highest-rated prospect in Urban Meyer's first recruiting class.[2]
As a true freshman, Atkins started three games in the 2005 season. In the Florida–Florida State game he intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. A projected starter, he played three games in 2006 before his coach, Urban Meyer, removed him from the team after a domestic violence incident.
On July 5, 2007, he was found dead in his car in Port Orange, Florida.[3] An autopsy revealed he had high levels of ecstasy in his body as well as carbon monoxide. Police have ruled out a suicide attempt.[4] [5]