Sean Taylor -- 23-Year-old CONVICTED of Murdering NFL Star

The man who shot and killed former NFL star Sean Taylor has just been found guilty of 2nd degree murder ... and now faces life in prison.

A Florida jury just convicted 23-year-old Eric Rivera for his role in the 2007 incident -- when Rivera and 4 others broke into Taylor's home in a botched burglary attempt.

Rivera and his crew believed the house was empty at the time -- but they were wrong -- and when Taylor confronted the burglars, Rivera opened fire ... striking Sean in the leg, severing his femoral artery. Taylor bled out and died from the wound.

Taylor -- a rising defensive star in the NFL -- was only 24 at the time of his death.

A judge will now decide Rivera's sentence -- and he could face life in prison.