Former NFL first-round draft pick D.J. Hayden died in a traffic accident on Saturday morning in Houston that also took the lives of five others.

Hayden was a passenger in an Acura SUV struck by a Chrysler 300 that ran a red light at “high velocity,” according to Houston Police, at around 2 a.m. CST Saturday, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Hayden most recently played in the NFL on Dec. 26, 2021, when he made his only appearance of the season with four defensive snaps and seven special-teams plays in the Washington Football Team’s 56-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

A cornerback, Hayden entered the NFL with the Oakland Raiders as the 12th selection in the 2013 draft.

Over the next eight seasons, Hayden played for the Raiders, Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. He started more than half of his team’s games in one season – with Oakland in 2016 – and completed his career with four interceptions.

Hayden starred at Houston when the Cougars were a Conference USA opponent of UAB. In Houston’s 56-13 victory over the Blazers at Legion Field on Nov. 5, 2011, Hayden returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown.

Hayden died at age 33 on Saturday after nearly dying while playing for Houston.

During a 2012 practice, Hayden suffered a tear of the main vein that carries blood from the lower half of the body. After emergency surgery, Hayden recovered quickly from an often fatal injury and participated in pre-draft workouts.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.