Staff Directory
Taylor Mays
- Title:
- Safeties Coach
Former three-time All-American safety and NFL veteran Taylor Mays joined the Washington football coaching staff as safeties coach on Jan. 16, 2025. He returns for his second season in that role in 2026.
In his first year at UW, Mays's safeties room turned in a successful campaign. UW defensive MVP Alex McLaughlin earned honorable mention All-Big Ten and Rylon Dillard-Allen picked up freshman All-America honor as the UW defense never allowed more than 26 points in any one game, and made huge jumps in a number of key areas over the 2024 season.
The Huskies went from No. 87 in the NCAA in rushing defense in 2024, to the No. 11 rushing defense (100.1 yards per game) in 2025. Washington’s scoring defense (18.7 points per game) ranked No. 15 in the nation, up from No. 53 a year before.
The Huskies finished the 2025 season ranked No. 22 in interceptions and No. 32 in defensive first downs, increases from No. 97 and 106, respectively. Washington also finished the season ranked No. 21 in total defense and No. 31 in red-zone defense, both well ahead of the 2024 performance.
Mays came to Washington from his alma mater, USC, where he has served on the football staff for three seasons, most recently as assistant defensive backs coach.
A graduate of Seattle’s O’Dea High School, Mays earned first-team All-America honors in 2007, 2008 and 2009 at USC, having been named second-team All-America and Pac-10 Co-Freshman of the year in 2006. He was a member of three Pac-10 champion teams (2006-08) and won the Rose Bowl in each of his first three college seasons. He started 50 of a possible 51 games over his four-year college career.
The son of former UW and nine-year NFL defensive lineman Stafford Mays, Taylor was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played the 2010 season in San Francisco before spending the next four years with the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by one more with the Oakland Raiders.
In 2022, Mays joined the USC staff as a defensive analyst. In preparation for the Trojans’ 2023 bowl game, he served as interim safeties coach, helping the Trojans to a 42-28 win over No. 15 Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.
In his first year at UW, Mays's safeties room turned in a successful campaign. UW defensive MVP Alex McLaughlin earned honorable mention All-Big Ten and Rylon Dillard-Allen picked up freshman All-America honor as the UW defense never allowed more than 26 points in any one game, and made huge jumps in a number of key areas over the 2024 season.
The Huskies went from No. 87 in the NCAA in rushing defense in 2024, to the No. 11 rushing defense (100.1 yards per game) in 2025. Washington’s scoring defense (18.7 points per game) ranked No. 15 in the nation, up from No. 53 a year before.
The Huskies finished the 2025 season ranked No. 22 in interceptions and No. 32 in defensive first downs, increases from No. 97 and 106, respectively. Washington also finished the season ranked No. 21 in total defense and No. 31 in red-zone defense, both well ahead of the 2024 performance.
Mays came to Washington from his alma mater, USC, where he has served on the football staff for three seasons, most recently as assistant defensive backs coach.
A graduate of Seattle’s O’Dea High School, Mays earned first-team All-America honors in 2007, 2008 and 2009 at USC, having been named second-team All-America and Pac-10 Co-Freshman of the year in 2006. He was a member of three Pac-10 champion teams (2006-08) and won the Rose Bowl in each of his first three college seasons. He started 50 of a possible 51 games over his four-year college career.
The son of former UW and nine-year NFL defensive lineman Stafford Mays, Taylor was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played the 2010 season in San Francisco before spending the next four years with the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by one more with the Oakland Raiders.
In 2022, Mays joined the USC staff as a defensive analyst. In preparation for the Trojans’ 2023 bowl game, he served as interim safeties coach, helping the Trojans to a 42-28 win over No. 15 Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.
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