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]
| No. 4 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 29, 1987 Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Died: | June 5, 2007 (aged 20) Port Orange, Florida |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Mainland |
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.[2] A projected starter, he played three games in 2006 before his coach, Urban Meyer, removed him from the team after a domestic violence incident.
Death
editOn 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]
References
edit- ^ "Former UF, B-CC player Atkins dead at 20". Florida Times-Union. July 6, 2007.
- ^ a b "Former Gator Atkins found dead in car". Gainesville Sun: Gator Sports. July 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
- ^ "Police call death of former Florida player 'suspicious'". ESPN.com. July 5, 2007.
- ^ "Former Florida player died of apparent overdose, autopsy shows". Associated Press. October 26, 2007 – via Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
- ^ Curtis, Dave (October 27, 2007). "Atkins died from drug overdose". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020.
External links
edit
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