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'A young man with limitless future': Mississippi State football player Samuel Westmoreland dies at 18

The freshman student-athlete was an offensive lineman for the MSU Bulldog football team

STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI: Samuel Westmoreland, an 18-year-old freshman at Mississippi State University died on Wednesday morning, October 19. The cause of the death of the football player who was majoring in industrial technology is unknown, reports Daily Mail. 

Meanwhile, Westmoreland would have turned 19 this Friday, October 21, reports Fox 19. The 18-year-old, who graduated from Tupelo High School, was an offensive lineman for MSU. According to ESPN, Westmoreland landed on the Mississippi State University Bulldog football team after his successful progression in football at Tupelo High School. 

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He also earned a position in the Northeast Mississippi Football Coaches Association All-Star Game in 2021 and received Region 2-6A second-team honors after his senior year in 2021-22. According to CBS, in a statement, Mississippi State coach Mike Leach said, "The Mississippi State Athletics Family is heartbroken by the sudden death of Sam Westmoreland," He continued, "Sam was a beloved son, brother, and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future. He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him. The entire MSU family mourns as our thoughts and prayers go out to the Westmoreland family. Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time." 

Mississippi State Football tweeted, "Mississippi State University was deeply saddened to learn of the death this morning of freshman student-athlete Samuel Westmoreland, 19, of Tupelo, Mississippi." Meanwhile, MSU President Mark E Keenum stated, "One of the most profound lessons I've learned while leading this great university is that the tragic loss of one of our students diminishes all of our students—and all of us at Mississippi State feel the impact of Sam Westmoreland's death. My prayers are with Sam's family and friends, with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time."

MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said in the statement,  "We are heartbroken by the sudden loss of Sam Westmoreland. Mississippi State is a family, and we are all mourning during this trying time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Westmoreland family and everyone who knew and loved Sam." Further, the statement confirmed, "The university is working cooperatively with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office, the Oktibbeha County Coroner's Office, the MSU Division of Student Affairs, and the MSU Athletics Department to determine the facts of this incident and will have no further comment until that assessment is completed." Meanwhile, Mississippi State will travel to Tuscaloosa to play the University of Alabama this Saturday, October 22, reports DailyMail.