Taylor Mays
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Taylor Mays | |
|---|---|
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| College | Southern California |
| Sport | Football |
| Position | Free Safety |
| Jersey # | 2 |
| Class | Junior |
| Career | 2006 – present |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | February 7, 1988 Seattle, WA |
| High school | O'Dea High School, Seattle, Washington |
| Awards | |
| 2007 Sporting News First Team All-American 2006 Sporting News Second Team All-American |
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Taylor Mays (born February 7, 1988 in Seattle, Washington, U.S.) is a football free safety at the University of Southern California.
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[edit] High school career
Mays is a graduate of O'Dea High School. Mays was named a 2005 Parade All-American and the Gatorade Washington player of the year. He also ran track where he was a 2-time state 3A champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. Following his high school career, Mays was invited to play in the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Mays elected to go to USC, crediting the personality and style of Coach Pete Carroll as a major factor in his decision.[1]
[edit] Collegiate career
Mays got the start at free safety his freshman year after Josh Pinkard went down with a season ending injury in their first game against Arkansas. Throughout the year he was a solid safety recording 62 tackles (60 coming in his 12 starts) and a team-best 3 interceptions.[2] Mays became the third Trojan named the Pac-10’s co-freshman of the year.[2] In the Spring 2007 practice, Mays ran a 4.25 second 40-yard dash, making him the fastest player on the Trojans.[1]
He returned as starter at free safety in 2007, with Pinkard being converted to cornerback. He was named an All-American by The Sporting News for his stellar play in the 2007 season, he was also selected to the SI.com All-American Second Team.[3]. The Pac-10 Conference also commended him, naming him All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention for the free safety position. Mays goes into the 2008 season being one of the nation's top safety prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft, where he compares favorably to former 1st round pick, Sean Taylor.
Before the 2008 season, ESPN The Magazine named Mays one of college football's top two "workout warriors" for running an electronically timed 40 this spring in 4.32 seconds, doing 26 reps with 225 pounds, having a vertical jumping 41 inches, and doing a standing broad jump of 11-4 with a 6-3, 226 pound frame with 6 percent body fat. He entered USC weighing 215 and posted a vertical jump of 35 inches and a broad jump of 10-0.[4]
[edit] Personal
Taylor's father, Stafford Mays, is a Microsoft executive and lives in Madison Park neighborhood of Seattle.[2] Stafford Mays also played defensive end for Lincoln High, Mt. Hood Community College, University of Washington (1978-79) and in the NFL from 1980 to 1988. As a child, Mays attended many Huskies games with his dad at nearby Husky Stadium.[1] Taylor's mother is Jewish, and he has had a bar mitzvah.[5][6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Bob Condotta, UW Football Notebook | Carroll was key to Mays leaving, The Seattle Times, September 27, 2007.
- ^ a b c Todd Milles, Road trip is trip home, The News Tribune, September 21, 2007.
- ^ SI.com's All-Americas, SI.com, December 11, 2007.
- ^ Bruce Feldman, College football's top workout warriors, ESPN The Magazine, June 9, 2008, Accessed June 9, 2008.
- ^ Gary Klein, Coming of age, Los Angeles Times, December 29, 2006.
- ^ Mark Saxon, USC freshmen struggle, The Orange County Register, September 19, 2007.
