Taylor Mays life and biography

A four-year starter at USC, Taylor Mays is an explosive safety with incredible size and speed. He adds immediate depth and playmaking ability to the 49ers defensive backfield.

TRANSACTIONS:
Originally a second-round (49th overall) draft choice by SF in 2010.

COLLEGE

•Played in 51 games (50 starts) for the Trojans, registering 276 tackles, 5 INTs, 2 FRs, and 1 FF. Earned All-American first team honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation to go along with second-team accolades from the Associated Press and The NFL Draft Report as a senior. The consensus All-Pac 10 first-team selection started all 12 games, leading the team and ranking 2nd in the Pac-10 with 96 tackles, while adding 1 INT and 1 FR in 2009. As a junior, selected as a first-team All-American by The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press, Football Writers Association, Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Sporting News, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly and College Football News. One of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, the All-Pac 10 first-team choice started all 13 games, notching 53 tackles and helping USC lead the nation in pass defense (134.4 ypg), opponents pass efficiency (85.75) and scoring defense (9.0 ppg), while finishing 2nd in total defense (221.8 ypg) in 2008. In his sophomore season, started every game at free safety, earning All-American first-team honors from The NFL Draft Report and The Sporting News after finishing 3rd on the team with 65 tackles on a Trojans defense that ranked 2nd in the nation in total defense (273.2 ypg) and scoring defense (16.0 ppg). Named Defensive Freshman of the Year by College Football News, finishing the season with 62 tackles and 3 INTs after taking over the starting free safety duties in the team’s second game.

PERSONAL

•Attended O’Dea (Seattle, WA) HS, where he earned first-team All-American honors from Parade, Super Prep, Prep Star, USA Today and EA Sports. Was also named league’s Defensive Co-MVP as a senior defensive back after recording 166 tackles and 5 INTs. Also named league’s offensive MVP, catching 36 passes for 765 yds. with 15 and adding 3 more rushing scores in his final year.
•Was a two-time (2004-05) Class 3A state champion in the 100m and 200m on the track team, with a personal best of 10.88 in the 100m.
•His father, Stafford Mays, was a defensive lineman at the University of Washington from 1978-79, and played in the NFL for the St. Louis Cardinals (1980-86) and Minnesota Vikings (1987-88).
•Born Taylor Mays (2/7/88) in Seattle, WA.

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