finalyear death_date debutyear statvalue article_title finalteam draftround birth_date pfr draftyear heightin death_place image_size heightft number image college debutteam name statlabel caption birth_place nfl weight position highschool draftpick
2007 27 november 2007 2004 302 12 8 2.0 2 sean taylor
 washington redskins 1 01 april 1983 taylse20 2004 2 miami , florida 200 6 36 , 21 sean_taylor . jpg miami -lrb- fl -rrb- washington redskins sean taylor tackles interceptions forced fumbles quarterback sacks touchdowns taylor at redskins training camp , august 2005 . miami , florida tay696860 212 safety miami -lrb- fl -rrb- gulliver prep 5
sean taylor

sean michael maurice taylor -lrb- april 1 , 1983 -- november 27 , 2007 -rrb- was an american college and professional football player who was a free safety for the washington redskins of the national football league -lrb- nfl -rrb- for four seasons .
he played college football for the university of miami , was a member of the hurricanes ' 2001 bcs national championship team , and earned unanimous all-american honors .
the washington redskins chose taylor with the fifth overall pick of the 2004 nfl draft .
due to his ferocious hits , several of his redskins teammates nicknamed him `` meast , '' a portmanteau word from the expression `` half man , half beast . ''
taylor died at the age of 24 on november 27 , 2007 , from critical injuries from a gunshot by intruders at his miami area home .
his death led to an outpouring of national support and sympathy , especially in the washington , d.c. area , where taylor had been a fan favorite as a redskin , and the miami area , where taylor had starred for the miami hurricanes , after leading gulliver prep to a florida state high school championship and setting a state record for most touchdowns in a season -lrb- 44 -rrb- .
tight end chris cooley , tackle chris samuels , and long snapper ethan albright honored taylor at the 2008 pro bowl by wearing his number 21 rather than their usual numbers .
to honor taylor in the first game following his death , the redskins defense lined up ten players on the field against the buffalo bills leaving taylor 's traditional position of free safety vacant for the first defensive play .
