San Francisco 49ers: 20 worst NFL Draft picks in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
No. 15: Safety Taylor Mays
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round (49th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft
Former USC safety Taylor Mays was another early rounder who went bust quickly in San Francisco.
The 49ers were hoping for, what former head coach Mike Singletary said about Mays, “he leads,” when they took the defensive back in Round 2 of the 2010 NFL Draft.
At 6-foot-3 and 231 pounds, Mays had the speed and size ideal for the position. But the problem with Mays resided in his coverage skills and instincts. And these problems were on display during his first and only season with San Francisco.
Mays appeared in all 16 regular-season games in 2010 but started only six of them. During that span, he registered just two passes defended and 26 tackles.
The 49ers traded Mays to the Cincinnati Bengals following the season in exchange for a seventh-round pick.
Hardly a worthy investment.