Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith 3

The story of Cooper and Smith is interesting because there was a lot of attention around this incident, although they were not well known athletes. I doubt there would have been national coverage of this tragedy if these guys didn't have their connections to the NFL. Neither of these guys were stars, so I don't think the public has mourned them like they would have if they were more famous. However, their status as NFL players created a story the media was eager to follow. Those who watched as the search for them unfolded were able to catch a glimpse into how their family and friends reacted and dealt with this tragedy.