The phone call quickly became a FaceTime.
The image? A beaming Deontavis Cooper accepting the recruiting pitch from Tulane‘s football program.
That’s what Tulane assistant coach Kanan Ray is remembering Monday, May 25, less than 48 hours after Cooper’s death in a single-vehicle automobile accident. He was killed and two others were critically injured in a late-night crash Saturday.
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Per the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, the single-vehicle crash happened around 10:55 p.m. when his sedan traveling southbound veered onto the western shoulder, struck a culvert and became airborne. The vehicle then hit a utility pole and overturned before coming to rest on the shoulder.
Thomas County Central High School posted that the school community was in mourning after the death of Deontavis Jamario “Big Coop” Cooper.
Cooper, an offensive lineman, signed as part of the Green Wave‘s 2026 recruiting class under first-year coach Will Hall.
“I just remember watching his tape, the way he played and his passion for game just immediately jumped out on tape,” Ray, himself a former offensive lineman at Colorado and Tulane, told USA TODAY Sports. “I called ‘Coop,’ and we actually immediately got on FaceTime.
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“He had this huge smile on his face. We offered him, built the relationship; it’s actually the closest I’ve ever been with a recruit throughout the whole process. He just loved the game of football and was an infectious personality to be around. Lit up any room he walked into.”
Cooper, 6-3 and 295 pounds, graduated from Thomas County (Georgia) Central High School on Saturday, May 23, and was headed to a post-graduation event when the accident occurred, Ray said.
Cooper had been scheduled to report for summer school and football workouts at the New Orleans-based university Sunday, May 24.
He is survived by his mother, Sheila Daniels, and sister, De’Asia Daniels, as well as his younger cousin, Adrianna Mack, whom Cooper called his “little sister” after she lived with the family following the death of her mother.
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“De’Asia is getting her Ph.D. here at Loyola University, basically right beside our campus,” says Ray. “They grew to be like family, and I sat in that living room multiple times.
“The whole entire school loved him, teachers loved him. He had a smile and attitude that was contagious, and he really poured into that program at Thomas Country Central.”
Ray believes a snapshot of Cooper’s character is illustrated in the 2025 Georgia Class 5A State Championship.
After missing practice all week due to illness and not even being able to participate in pre-game warmups, Cooper’s there on the game video — starting along the offensive line, helping his Thomas County Central squad set a Georgia championship-game rushing record and winning the 5A title.
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“’Coop’ had the flu real bad, had IVs, didn’t come out for warmups,” Ray said. “He played the game, they beat Gainesville and broke Georgia’s state high school (title game) rushing record.
“He was just the ultimate competitor with a really bright future who had just gotten into a top-40 school in the country.”
Tulane officials also marked his passing in a lengthy statement:
“As an incoming member of the Green Wave, Deontavis exemplified dedication, resilience, and a positive outlook,” the college in New Orleans wrote. “His love for the game and his unwavering work ethic showed in everything he did, and he was on the path to making a significant impact both on the field and within the community.
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“Deontavis was admired not only for his athletic ability but also for his kindness and genuine spirit. His bright personality and warm heart touched many, and his absence leaves a profound void in our hearts. In honoring Deontavis, let us remember him for his extraordinary spirit, his kindness, and the joy he brought to those around him.”
Tallahassee Democrat reporter William L. Hatfield contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Days before joining Tulane, Deontavis Cooper dies in car crash
