Monday, Philadelphia Eagles WR Jalen Reagor took to Twitter to mourn the passing of former Texas Christian University teammate and Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Jeff Gladney. The news came as a shock to the football world as it was the first official word on the defensive back's death.

Gladney's agent Brian Overstreet confirmed the death and said it was due to a car accident:

Gladney, 25, was the 31st overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL draft. He was a highly graded draft prospect, leading the Big 12 in passes defended during his final year at TCU. His 36 career passes defended ranks 18th in the NCAA and third all-time in his conference since 2005.

The corner struggled to find his footing in Minnesota during his first season as he battled with injuries. He was released by the Vikings in 2021 after he was charged with assault. He was later acquitted of the charges.

Gladney went on to sign a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals this offseason. He was expected to make a solid impact and improve his NFL trajectory after a rocky start to his career. Cardinals VP of Player Personnel Quentin Harris had expressed high hopes for Gladney on a recent episode of the The Dave Pasch Podcast.

Via Cards Wire:

Harris said the Cardinals “loved him” when he came out in the draft in 2020.

“We feel like that’s another steal,” Harris said. “We had a first-round grade on him.”

The news of Gladney's passing comes as a tragedy to the league and those who knew the young defender. Just two short seasons into his professional career, Gladney had his whole legacy ahead of him, yet to be fulfilled.

ClutchPoints extends its condolences to Jeff Gladney's family and loved ones.