Rashard Anderson, a former first round draft pick out of Jackson State, reportedly lost his life on Wednesday.
He was just 45-years-old.
“Rashard Anderson, the most recent Jackson State football player to be selected in the first-round of the NFL Draft, has died, according to a school spokesperson,” the Clarion Ledger writes.
Anderson was the No. 23 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. The former Jackson State star played for the Panthers from 2000-01 and the Calgary Stampedes in 2005.
Anderson, a Forrest, Mississippi, native, played in 27 NFL games over two seasons with the Panthers, making nine starts. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defensive back made 65 tackles and recorded one interception.
Following his playing career, Anderson worked several jobs including being a substitute teacher and assistant football coach at Callaway and Murrah high schools in Jackson.