College football player dies due to 'medical complications' hours after playing for Mississippi school

An 18-year-old college football player has died following a recent game in Mississippi due to what the school has described as 'medical complications.'

Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) football player Emanuell Cooks died after playing Hinds Community College on September 18. MDCC announced Cooks' passing the following day, while offering counselling services to his classmates.

'Our entire Trojan family is devastated by this loss,' MDCC President Dr. Steven Jones said in a statement. 'At this time, our deepest thoughts and prayers are with Emanuell's family, teammates, coaches, and friends. We will come together as a community to support one another through this tragedy.'

The school asked that 'everyone respect the privacy of the family and campus community as they grieve.'

It remains unclear if Cooks suffered any medical issue during the game. Daily Mail has reached out to coroner's offices in both Hinds County and Sunflower County, Mississippi for further information. 

A 6-foot-5, 340-pound offensive lineman, Cooks was 'the sweetest gentle giant you would ever meet,' according to Sara Mitchell, an elementary school teacher from his hometown of Elba, Alabama.

'Our family, students, and staff have suffered an enormous loss,' Mitchell wrote on Facebook.

Mitchell was not the only Elba resident to speak out online.

'All of Elba loved E-Man so much,' Elba's Kerry Keesee Johnson wrote on Facebook. 'A gentle giant with an infectious smile, kind soul and huge heart of gold. We are shattered. Please pray for his family and the people of Elba. All losses are devastating but this one hits just a little harder.'

Another person referred to Cooks as 'my sweet sweet classmate.'

Cooks had already put together a short highlight reel compiled from footage of his first three games of the season. The clips were posted on a website, hudl, which helps coaches, recruiters and recruits to share game footage from all levels of the sport. It's unclear if Cooks was hoping to transfer from MDCC to a larger college football program.

Cooks announced his decision to attend MDCC back in February.

'After a long recruitment process I've decided to Commit to Mississippi Delta Community College,' he wrote online.

Hinds Community College President Stephen Vacik called Thursday's tragedy 'a sobering reminder how precious our time here on earth really is.'

MDCC fell to Hinds in what proved to be Cooks' last game on Thursday, 48-0.