Genard Avery

: A three-year starter at Memphis, Avery spent most of his collegiate career as the starting WILL linebacker, but finished his Memphis career as the “KAT” hybrid outside linebacker to utilize his rush skills – finished second in school history in career tackles for loss (45.5) and third in sacks (21.5). Avery is at his best as a downhill defender with his speed and toughness to attack, creating stopping power on clean-view tackle attempts. However, he has questionable instincts and twitch, often getting eaten up by blockers near the line of scrimmage. His pass rush skills and versatile experience are encouraging, but he is more of a blitzer than rusher right now with limited length and coverage skills. BACKGROUND: A two-star linebacker recruit out of high school, Genardveous “Genard” (jah-nard) Avery was a four-year letterwinner in football and track and also excelled as a powerlifter, winning two state titles and setting three state records with a 580-pound deadlift, 605-pound squat and 360-pound bench press. As a senior on the football field, he collected 75 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, earning all-state honors in 2013. Avery hoped to attend his “dream school” Ole Miss, but that offer never arrived and he chose Memphis over Southern Miss and Louisiana-Lafayette. He spent most of his true freshman season as a reserve, posting 19 tackles and 5.0 sacks in 2014. Avery started seven games as a sophomore and accounted for 53 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He planned to leave Memphis and walk on at Ole Miss for the 2016 season (Avery: “When I signed with Memphis, I always felt I was supposed to be somewhere better. I felt like I was supposed to be at my dream school, Ole Miss.”), but he elected to stay at Memphis. Avery led the team with 11.0 tackles for loss in 2016, adding 81 tackles, 5.0 sacks, four passes defended and two interceptions to earn First Team All-AAC honors. He again led the team in tackles for loss (22.0) as a senior, splitting his time between weakside linebacker and edge rusher. Avery also accounted for 80 tackles, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles and earned First Team All-AAC honors as a senior. He accepted his invitation to the 2018 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

in our view

Avery has tweener traits and might struggle to find a home on defense, but his straight-line speed and competitive make-up could keep him on a roster as a special teamer while he fights for playing time on defense.

strengths

Speed to chase down ballcarriers from behind…packed-on muscle and no stranger to the weight room (two-time state champion powerlifter)…forceful tackler and lays a lick on his target…lowers his pads at contact to gain leverage…mean attitude and plays with conviction to compete in the trenches…impact blitzing skills, using speed, bend and body leverage to win the corner…flashes violence in his hands with a baseline understanding of how to set up rush moves…only two interceptions in college, but returned both for touchdowns…two-year team captain…graduated with his undergrad degree (Dec. 2017)…versatile experience at inside and outside linebacker and as a hybrid edge rusher, leading the team in tackles for loss the last two seasons.

weaknesses

Shorter stature and arm length…sticks to blockers at the line of scrimmage, opening second level run lanes for the ballcarrier…overmatched downhill at the goal line or short-yardage situations…questionable backfield vision, losing sight of the ball mid-traffic…speed to mirror, but late to key-and-diagnose…straight-linish athlete and hips/lower body look stiff in coverage…tight redirection skills eat away at his range…arrives too hot as a tackler at times…aggressive hands as a rusher, but counter measures and move-to-move transition are raw…suffered a season-ending wrist injury (Nov. 2015) and required surgery.

Prepped at Grenada High School for head coach Ashley Kuhn

Named to the Clarion-Ledger 2013 All-State Team

Most Valuable Player of Mississippi 6A Region 1

Played in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game

Linebacker was moved to defensive end for the all-star game

Member of The Clarion-Ledger’s Targeted 22

Tallied 75 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles as a senior

Also saw playing time on offense, accounting for 72 rushing yards on 18 carries

Scored five offensive touchdowns

During senior year, recorded a season-high 10 tackles (9 solo stops) in a 51-14 win over DeSoto Central

Logged nine tackles in a 12-7 win over Olive Branch

Had eight tackles in three different games in 2013

Registered 111 tackles and six sacks and forced five fumbles as a junior to earn Class 6A All-State honors

Posted 12 tackles, including three TFL, in a shutout win over DeSoto Central

Had 11 tackles against Tupelo the following week

Closed out junior year with three double-digit tackle games, including a career-high 18 stops against Columbus

Also a Class 6A state champion powerlifter

A four-year track and field letterwinner.

Son of Tiffany Avery

Born in Grenada, Miss. Birthday is April 26

An organizational leadership major.

2017

fumbles
REC	LOST	FUM
1.0	0.0	0.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
22.0	7.0	80.0	0.0	2.0	8.5	52.0

2016

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
10.0	6.0	79.0	2.0	2.0	5.0	61.0

interceptions
TD	AVG	YDS	INT
2.0	25.5	51.0	2.0