DeAntre Turman, 16, was only a junior at Creekside High School, but was considered one of the top college recruits for football to come out of the state of Georgia. Unfortunately, the football prospect who gained the attention of Division I programs, such as the University of Kentucky, passed away last Friday due to a tackle that he sustained during a preseason scrimmage.

"The special ones, you can tell it, but you don't have to tell them they're good. He was one of those, he knew he was good," Turman's uncle, Kenneth, told WGCL-TV. "He tackled the guy. It was just a hard hit — regular hit that he's made 1,000 times."

The tackle turned out to be not so routine after it was discovered that Turman, also known as “Tre Tre,” had broken his neck. Fulton County medical examiners conducted an autopsy that revealed a fracture in his third cervical vertebra.

Turman’s coach Glenn Ford said the 16-year-old’s entire body went limp following the collision and he was unresponsive. Respiratory issues were reported before ambulance personnel transported him to a nearby hospital’s emergency room.

The Turman family is struggling to understand this devastating turn of events considering the young man's level of fitness. According to a recent study conducted by the Department of Emergency Medicine at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Montreal, the prevalence of neck injuries in American football could have something to do with the style of football tackles compared to each athlete’s physical preparedness.

"Although high energy impacts occur in all three sports, only football tackles are designed to completely impede the motion of opposing players," said Dr. Scott Delaney, research director of MUHC's Department of Emergency Medicine.

The results of this study showed that football nudged out hockey and soccer in terms of the sport most likely to cause a neck injury. Delaney also stated that risk of injury was preventable by equipment regulations and rule changes that outlaw dangerous tackles.

Over 200 people showed up to the football field at the Ben Hill Recreation Center last Sunday to remember the life of Turman. "My baby is gone. He was a real good kid, respectful kid. He did what he always loved to do, play football. That's what he loved," Turman's father, James, tearfully explained to WGCL-TV.