What is the perfect way to honor your dad? For University of North Carolina volleyball standout Jackie Taylor, the answer came easy.
Taylor chose jersey No. 21 to honor former Washington Commanders' safety Sean Taylor, who was murdered in 2007 at the height of what had been a standout NFL career.
The Tar Heels' account on X revealed the choice. Jackie, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, will begin her freshman season with the Tar Heels this fall.
Sean Taylor burst onto the NFL scene in 2004. Washington selected the Gulliver Prep and University of Miami standout with the fifth overall pick that year. The choice immediately paid dividends for the Commanders as Sean finished fourth in the AP defensive rookie of the year voting. He picked off four passes and totaled 78 tackles that season.
Sean Taylor made a big impact in brief career
Sean put up solid numbers in 2005 before earning his first Pro Bowl honor after the 2006 season. Racking up 114 tackles, Sean embarked on the fast track to NFL stardom. His impressive traits — a 6-foot-2, 230-pound safety who ran the 40 in 4.51 — made life tough for opposing offenses.
And in 2007, Taylor continued his meteoric rise with five interceptions in nine games. However, a knee injury kept him out of the lineup as Washington headed to Tampa Bay for a late-season contest. The Redskins head coach at the time, Joe Gibbs, told ESPN.com he didn't know why Taylor returned to his home in Miami for the weekend.
According to a family friend, loud noises woke Taylor and his girlfriend. Taylor reportedly grabbed a machete he kept in his bedroom. But an assailant broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots. And one of the bullets hit Taylor in the femoral artery, causing significant blood loss. Taylor reportedly never regained consciousness, and died on Nov. 27. 2007.
In 2014, ESPN.com reported the man who prosecutors say fired the shot that killed Sean received a 57-year prison sentence. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy imposed the sentence on 23-year-old Eric Rivera, one of five Fort Myers-area men charged with Taylor's death after they broke into his house looking to steal cash.
Jackie Taylor, only 18 months old and in the house with her father, didn't get injured. She told ESPN.com in November she tries to keep her father as a part of her life.
“My biggest thing has always been just making sure his name stays alive,” she said. “It's never felt like a burden, but it's just felt like a part of me to connect with him.”
Jackie Taylor keeping her dad's spirit alive
Jackie helped start the Sean Taylor Legacy Project. And she said she wanted to keep his spirit alive by doing community work and giving back.
“My dad worked really hard to make it something,” Jackie said. “It's always been something I never wanted to mess up or something I've never wanted to shy away from.”
Jackie received billing as the No. 3-ranked prospect in the state of Florida, according to MaxPreps. She totaled 54 kills and 12 blocks in her final two games at Gulliver, including the contest that brought the school's first-ever state championship.
Her biggest weapon is a thunderous spike. But even though it's an offensive weapon, it's a testament to the way her dad played. Taylor approached his game with an aggressive attitude, not allowing the opponent to get comfortable. And that's the way Jackie plays on the volleyball court.
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