Walter Easley was one of the best-ever on the West Virginia high school football scene.

Easley, who had a kidney transplant in 2005, was found dead at his home on Thursday.

As an athlete at old Stonewall Jackson High School in Charleston (now a part of Capital), Easley excelled in football, basketball and track and field. As a junior in the fall of 1974 he helped lead Bill Jarrett's Generals to the Class AAA state championship

Easley accepted a football scholarship to WVU once his high school playing days had ended. He was a part of the program from 1976-80.

Easley played both fullback and linebacker at West Virginia. His final season in 1980 was spent under Hall of Fame head coach Don Nehlen, who was in his first year guiding the Mountaineer program.

Following his college career, Easley moved on to the National Football League. He spent two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and was part of the 1982 Super Bowl champs.

Easley also played for the Chicago Blitz and the Pittsburgh Maulers of the old United States Football League in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

Despite winning a Super Bowl ring, Easley said in a 2005 interview that his biggest Super Bowl victory was getting a new kidney.

The last several years of Easley's life were spent in his hometown of Charleston working with youth. He was at one time an assistant football coach at Stonewall Jackson Middle School.

A giant on the football field in his day, Easley was simply a gentle giant away from the game.

Walter Easley was 55.