21-year-old college football player killed in Stone Mountain house fire

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A 21-year-old Liberty University football player was killed in a house fire that broke out just after 1 p.m. Monday at his grandfather’s home in a Stone Mountain neighborhood, according to DeKalb County Fire Rescue and family members.

Rockcliff Court fatal fire

What we know:

Firefighters were dispatched to a home on Rockcliff Court in the Water Edge community, where crews arrived to find flames showing throughout the residence. Fire officials said a neighbor alerted them that someone might still be trapped inside the house.

Firefighters entered the home and located one victim, who was already dead.

DeKalb County fire officials said crews were told by a nearby resident that someone might still be inside, prompting an immediate search.

"There was no hesitation in going in and searching for the victim," said DeKalb County Fire Captain Jaeson Daniels. "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."

Crews remained on scene for hours, monitoring hotspots and ensuring the fire did not flare back up. Officials said no other homes appear to have been damaged.

Death of Izaiah Taylor

What they're saying:

 The homeowner, Gregory Edwards, later identified the victim as his grandson, Izaiah Taylor, a college football offensive tackle who was home for the holidays.

"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 he arrived, Edwards said the scene was already under the control of firefighters.

"Well, the fire service had the house under their jurisdiction, so there was nothing for me to do. And over time, we found out that obviously my grandson perished in the fire," he said.

Edwards said Taylor was the only person inside the home at the time of the fire.

"What can I say? I mean, that’s not a very easy pill to swallow. You know, you don’t you don’t bury your grandchildren," Edwards said.

Who is Izaiah Taylor?

Dig deeper:

Izaiah Taylor was a 21-year-old offensive lineman at Georgia Military College and previously of Liberty University. 

The Georgia native was listed at 6 feet 5 inches. 

Taylor played offensive tackle for the Liberty Flames before entering the portal and attending Georgia Military College. 

He was home in DeKalb County for the holidays at the time of the fire. 

He previously played high school football at South Gwinnett High School and was rated as an offensive line prospect during the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to recruiting and athletic profiles.

Deadly fire under investigation

What we don't know:

Fire investigators are now working to determine what caused the fire. Authorities have not released details on how the fire started or where Taylor was located inside the home when it broke out.

The home sustained severe fire, smoke and water damage. Edwards described the house as a total loss, while fire officials said investigators are still assessing the extent of the damage.

The investigation remains ongoing.