Avery attended Grenada High School, where he was named to the Clarion-Ledger 2013 All-State Team and was the Most Valuable Player of Mississippi 6A Region. He played in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game, and was a member of The Clarion-Ledger’s Targeted 22. H registered 111 tackles and six sacks and forced five fumbles as a junior to earn Class 6A All-State honors. As a senior, Avery tallied 75 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He also saw playing time on offense, accounting for 72 rushing yards on 18 carries and five offensive touchdowns. During senior year, recorded a season-high 10 tackles in a 51-14 win over DeSoto Central. Avery was also a Class 6A state champion powerlifter and four-year track and field letter-winner.
College career
As a freshman at Memphis, Avery had five tackles. As a junior, he had 81 tackles including 11 for loss and two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Avery followed that up with 80 tackles including 22 tackles for loss. Avery played in 50 career games with 34 starts, including every game of his final two seasons. His 45.5 career tackles for loss ranks second in the Memphis record book behind Tim Harris. His 21.5 sacks ranks third in program history behind Martin Ifedi and Tramont Lawless. His 22.0 tackles for loss as a senior is a new Memphis single season record. Avery had 232 career tackles, which is fifth all-time at Memphis, adding four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, seven passes defended and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns in 2016. He graduated from the University of Memphis in December 2017, completing his degree in Organizational Leadership in 3 1/2 years.
Professional career
Cleveland Browns
Avery was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. On May 13, 2018, Avery signed a rookie contract worth just under $2.7 million. It includes a signing bonus worth $280,000. In the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Avery recorded one strip sack and four total tackles in his NFL debut.
Philadelphia Eagles
On October 28, 2019, Avery was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
