University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Curtis Akins Signs UDFA Deal with Cincinnati Bengals
Apr 29, 2019 | Football
Bengals rookie mini-camp scheduled for May 10-11.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis linebacker Curtis Akins has signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Cincinnati Bengals and will participate in the team's rookie mini-camp May 10-11.
Akins appeared in 46 career games at Memphis, including all 14 games in his senior season. He capped his four-year career with 276 total tackles, including 9.5 TFL, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five PBU and one interception.
Akins, a member of the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list as a senior, was named to the American Athletic Conference honorable mention team in 2018 after leading Memphis with 100 tackles. Akins recorded eight or more tackles in six games, including the 2018 AAC Championship game and the 2018 Birmingham Bowl. Akins finished with 14 tackles in the AAC Championship game at UCF and with nine against Wake Forest.
Akins is trying to give Byhalia, Mississippi, back-to-back years with a Tiger linebacker finding a home in the NFL. Genard Avery was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and was named to ESPN's All Rookie team. Akins and Avery were high school teammates at Byhalia and both came to Memphis in 2014. Akins redshirt that season and was a member of five consecutive Memphis teams that went to bowl games, the first time in program history that has happened.
Akins graduated from the University of Memphis in December of 2018 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies. He is the second Tiger to sign an undrafted free agent deal, joining offensive lineman Trevon Tate (Oakland Raiders). Former teammates Darrell Henderson (Third Round, Los Angeles Rams) and Tony Pollard (Fourth Round, Dallas Cowboys) were drafted in the 2019 NFL draft.
Akins appeared in 46 career games at Memphis, including all 14 games in his senior season. He capped his four-year career with 276 total tackles, including 9.5 TFL, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five PBU and one interception.
Akins, a member of the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list as a senior, was named to the American Athletic Conference honorable mention team in 2018 after leading Memphis with 100 tackles. Akins recorded eight or more tackles in six games, including the 2018 AAC Championship game and the 2018 Birmingham Bowl. Akins finished with 14 tackles in the AAC Championship game at UCF and with nine against Wake Forest.
Akins is trying to give Byhalia, Mississippi, back-to-back years with a Tiger linebacker finding a home in the NFL. Genard Avery was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and was named to ESPN's All Rookie team. Akins and Avery were high school teammates at Byhalia and both came to Memphis in 2014. Akins redshirt that season and was a member of five consecutive Memphis teams that went to bowl games, the first time in program history that has happened.
Akins graduated from the University of Memphis in December of 2018 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies. He is the second Tiger to sign an undrafted free agent deal, joining offensive lineman Trevon Tate (Oakland Raiders). Former teammates Darrell Henderson (Third Round, Los Angeles Rams) and Tony Pollard (Fourth Round, Dallas Cowboys) were drafted in the 2019 NFL draft.
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