Georgia Military College football player Izaiah Taylor, 21, found dead after house fire engulfs Stone Mountain home

A 21-year-old college football player was found dead after a house fire engulfed a home in suburban Atlanta earlier this week, authorities said. Izaiah Taylor, an offensive lineman for Georgia Military College, was staying at his grandfather’s residence in Stone Mountain when the fire broke out around 1 pm EST on Monday, according to WAGA-TV. His grandfather, Gregory Edwards, was away at the time and learned of the fire through a call from a neighbor.

“Well, I got a call from my neighbor. Said there was smoke coming out of the home, and I immediately left work and headed to the house,” Edwards said.

By the time firefighters arrived, the home was already engulfed in flames, WXIA-TV reported. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene.


“There was no hesitation in going in and searching for the victim,” DeKalb County Fire Captain Jaeson Daniels said. “We got here, and we were able to establish a water supply. And again, receiving that information from one of the nearby residents stating that there was some water inside, we actually went right in and performed a search and luckily found him pretty quick, but unfortunately he was deceased. Once we found him.”


Authorities are still working to determine what caused the fire, WRDW-TV reported.

Taylor had transferred to Georgia Military College, located in Milledgeville, ahead of the most recent season after previously playing for Liberty University in 2024. In a statement released Tuesday, Georgia Military College expressed condolences to Taylor’s loved ones.

“Georgia Military College is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students, Izaiah Taylor,” the statement said. “Our hearts are with Izaiah’s family, friends, classmates, and all those who knew and loved him.”

Edwards remembered his grandson as a “gentle giant,” growing emotional as he spoke about the loss.

“He was one of the kindest people you would have ever known. He wasn’t a bully,” Edwards said. “He was a good boy. He didn’t deserve this.”

“What can I say? I mean, that’s not an easy pill to swallow. You know, you don’t bury your grandchildren,” he added.