Over the weekend, the ASU community was hit with the sudden death of 26-year-old former walk-on linebacker, Jason Franklin.
Franklin's mother posted the news to Facebook on Sunday afternoon and said, "We are heartbroken ... our dear son Jason passed away yesterday. Please keep us in your prayers."
Franklin's cause of death has not been determined.
Former head coach Todd Graham coached at ASU from 2012-17 and was a key figure in awarding Franklin a scholarship in 2014.
The 6-foot-2, 221 pound player red-shirted for the Sun Devils from 2011-15, but didn't earn any playing time until his junior year.
Former ASU linebacker Carl Bradford played alongside Franklin for three seasons.
Although Franklin played only three collegiate games as a Sun Devil, his mark will be known off the field, mentoring the program's underclassmen, and that earned him the Glen Hawkins Scout Team Defensive MVP in 2015.
The Simi Valley, Calif., native went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in communications that same year, and he had been known as a TV and radio personality in the Valley.
Editor's note: This story may be updated as more information becomes available.
Reach the reporter at Edith.Noriega@asu.edu or follow @Noriega_Edith on Twitter.
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