Taylor, 24, who was the Redskins first pick in the 2004 draft, was shot by an intruder in the groin area, severing his femoral artery, on Monday, police and media said.

He was airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment but died from his wound after heavy blood loss, the Washington and Miami affiliates of CBS News and other networks said.

Taylor's lawyer Richard Sharpstein told WSVN television in Miami that he was called by the football player's father, Pete Taylor, a sheriff in south Florida, and given the news at around 5:30 a.m. EST.

"They're just overcome at this particular point at the loss of a son, a father, a friend and an incredible person," Sharpstein said.

Miami-Dade police said they were called to Taylor's four-bedroom house in Palmetto Bay, a village south of Miami, at 1:45 a.m. by a woman who said Taylor had been shot.

A college star with the University of Miami, Taylor had apparently been shot by an intruder in the groin area and was airlifted to Ryder Trauma center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Family and friends had been optimistic on Monday night that he would pull through, despite suffering heavy blood loss.

Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president for players and personnel, told reporters outside the hospital on Monday night, "We've had positive news from the doctors."

Taylor's father said then the family was "so happy."

But before daybreak family members were seen leaving the hospital in tears.

The hard-hitting safety had five interceptions this season but had been sidelined the last two weeks with a leg injury.

Taylor had a run-in with the law two years ago stemming from a gun-related incident.

He was charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault with a weapon and one count each of simple assault and simple battery in connection with a June 2005 incident where he was accused of waving a gun at a group of people he suspected of stealing his all-terrain vehicle.

He could have faced up to 46 years in prison.

In June 2006 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery charges and prosecutors dropped the more serious felony charges.

(Reporting by Mike Christie, editing by Vicki Allen)