Who was Avery Atkins? Exploring the life of former Florida CB who was found dead in a car

The story of Avery Atkins is one every Florida Gators fan would remember. He was a highly touted defensive player coming into college. Atkins attended Mainland High School, proving himself as an All-State CB and RB, and was seen as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.

Atkins went on to commit to the Gators, despite receiving offers from numerous top-tier colleges. He was also the highest-rated prospect when Urban Meyer took charge as the coach of Florida.

But Atkins passed away in 2007. A football player with great potential, he did not get the opportunity to showcase his range.

How did Avery Atkins die?

On June 5, 2007, Avery Atkins was found dead in the garage of his aunt's home in Port Orange, Florida. Just three days prior, the police had arrested him for possession of crack cocaine, making it his third arrest in three months. He was pronounced dead after being taken to the Halifax Medical Center.

According to the autopsy, a high dosage of ecstasy and carbon monoxide were found in his body, This led to the Florida police ruling his death as an accidental overdose rather than suicide. His death was a big shock to everyone who knew him in Florida.

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Avery Atkins's school and college stats

Atkins' junior year at Mainland saw him rack up 61 carries for 513 yards and eight rushing TDs. His performance led to him being named to the Florida 5A all-state team.

In his senior year, Atkins filled up the cornerback and safety positions on the team. He recorded 40-plus tackles with 8 INTs, returning three of them for TDs. He was considered a four-star prospect coming into the world of college football.

In 2005, Avery Atkins became a true freshman for Florida Gators. He got a decent amount of playing time, making 12 appearances. He racked up nine tackles with 1 INT and one fumble recovery, becoming the preferred starter for the team in 2006.

Fans will likely remember the final game of the regular season against Florida State, where he put up a career-high four tackles and gave a glimpse of his potential in college football.

But soon after, he was charged with alleged domestic battery by the mother of his child. This led to Atkins dropping out of Florida and enrolling himself at Bethune-Cookman College, where he played three games in 2006. The former defensive back dropped out from there as well, and tried to make a comeback to Florida.

Atkins found himself unable to commit and ultimately returned to Daytona Beach. In 2007, he lost his life in an unfortunate drug overdose.