Yesterday for day 27, we highlighted a hard hitting safety who played in the 80s for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Now today for day 26, we’ll be taking a look at another hard hitting safety, one that played in the early 2000s.
Sean Taylor was born in Florida City, Florida. He began his high school career at Miami Killian High School but later transferred to Gulliver Prep School where he was a three sport stud in football, basketball, and track.
Taylor was the number one recruit in Miami Dade County and was named as a high school All American. He accepted a scholarship to play close to home for the Miami Hurricanes.
As a freshman, Taylor was one of four true freshman to see action. He found a unique role on special teams and in dime and nickel packages for the Hurricanes. He recorded twenty six tackles and was named Big East Special Teams Player of the week after a big game against Pittsburgh.
That 2001 season ended with Taylor and the Hurricanes winning the 2001 BCS National Championship game.
The following season in 2002, Taylor was named a full time starter. He finished the year with eighty five tackles which was third on the Miami roster. He also added fifteen pass break ups and four interceptions.
His efforts earned him Second Team All Big East honors.
2003 was Taylors third and final season in Miami and it was a memorable one. He tallied seventy seven tackles and ten interceptions which tied the school record. He would be named First Team All Bug East, All American, and was a Thorpe award finalist.
Taylor would forgo is senior season and enter the 2004 NFL Draft where he was selected fifth overall by the Washington Redskins. Sadly, in 2007 Taylor was killed in a home invasion as he protected his family.
Tomorrow for day 25, we’ll be looking at one of the most explosive returners and receivers to ever touch the field in South Bend.