UW Huskies Hire Former O’Dea Star Taylor Mays as Safeties Coach

SEATTLE, Wash. — The University of Washington Huskies are hiring Taylor Mays, a former standout at Seattle’s O’Dea High School, as their new safeties coach, according to multiple reports. Mays, a former All-American safety at USC, will replace Vinnie Sunseri, who departed after one season to become the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State.

Mays has spent the past three seasons as a defensive backs coach and defensive analyst at USC. He joins a UW coaching staff that recently welcomed new defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who was hired earlier this month to replace Steve Belichick.

Mays was one of the most highly touted recruits to emerge from Washington. A five-star prospect in the class of 2006, he was ranked first in the state and 11th nationally. During his four-year career at USC, Mays earned All-America and All-Pac-10 honors from various publications.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Mays in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Over his six-year NFL career, he played for the 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Oakland Raiders, amassing 124 tackles, 11 passes defended, three tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one sack. Mays also spent one season in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Mays comes from a football family; his father, Stafford Mays, was a former UW defensive lineman. His hiring marks a homecoming for the Seattle native, who now returns to his roots to help lead the Huskies’ defense.