Sean Taylor

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Redskins with the fifth overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft where he played for four seasons until his murder in 2007. As a high school player, Taylor led Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship and rushed for a state record 44 touchdowns in a season. He subsequently played college football as a defensive back for the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Hurricanes' 2001 BCS National Championship team, and earned unanimous All-American honors. Taylor's success in college led to him being selected in the first round of the 2004 draft by the Redskins where he gained a reputation as a hard-hitting player. Due to his ferocious hits, several of his Redskins teammates nicknamed him "Meast", from the expression "half man, half beast." He made one Pro Bowl appearance in 2006. During the 2007 NFL season, on November 26 Taylor was shot by intruders at his Miami area home and died the next day on November 27. 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 he had starred in high school and college. Posthumously, he earned a second Pro Bowl selection and First Team All-Pro honors.

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