17‑year‑old Tulane recruit killed in Leon County crash

A 17-year-old college football recruit was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Leon County, Florida, late Saturday night, just weeks before he was scheduled to begin his collegiate career at Tulane University. Deontavis Cooper, an offensive lineman from Thomas County Central High School in Georgia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to authorities, the accident occurred just before 11 p.m. on Thomasville Road. The sedan Cooper was riding in drifted onto the shoulder, struck a culvert, and became airborne before hitting a utility pole. The vehicle then rolled over multiple times. Cooper, who was in the back seat, was ejected during the crash. Two other 18-year-old occupants of the vehicle were transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Cooper, affectionately known as "Big Coop," was a standout player who helped his high school team win two state championships. Rated as a three-star recruit, he had committed to Tulane in December after receiving scholarship offers from several other Division I programs, including Cincinnati, UCF, South Alabama, Arkansas State, and East Carolina.

The Tulane football program released a statement mourning the loss of the incoming...