2018 Football Roster
Jersey Number 9
Sam Mays
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-3 / 200
- Position:
- WR
- Hometown:
- Missouri City, Texas
- High School:
- The Kinkaid School
Career Highs
Receptions: 4, three times (last vs. Western Illinois, 9/8/18)
Receiving Yards: 47 vs. Kent State, 9/1/18
Long Reception: 30, twice (last vs. Purdue, 10/13/18)
Rec. Touchdowns: 1, twice (last vs. Michigan State, 11/5/16)
All-Purpose Yards: 39, twice (last vs. Michigan State, 11/5/16)
2018 Senior
- Started all 12 games at wide receiver
- 29 receptions for 331 yards
- Second on the team in receiving yards (331) and third in receptions (29)
- Career-high 69 receiving yards and tied a career-high with four receptions in the season finale at Northwestern 11/24/18
- Tied career long with 30-yard reception against Purdue 10/13/18
- Tied career high with four receptions against Kent State 9/1/18, Western Illinois 9/8/18, and Northwestern 11/24/18
2017 Junior
- Played in seven games
2016 Sophomore
- Nine games played with one start at wide receiver
- Started at Wisconsin, his second career start
- 13 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown on the year
- Averaged 1.4 receptions per game and 17.6 yards per game
- Averaged 12.2 yards per reception
- 10 of 13 receptions came in the last five games
- 30+ receiving yards in three of the last five games
- Game-winning touchdown with 1:35 left vs. Michigan State
- Career-high 39 receiving yards vs. Minnesota and Michigan State
- Career-high four receptions against Michigan State
- Career-long 30-yard reception against Minnesota
2015 Freshman
- Played in all 12 games as a wide receiver, making one start
- Seven receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown on season
- Two receptions for 37 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown, in the season opener vs. Kent State
- Two receptions for 21 yards vs. Nebraska
- First career start at Iowa
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN.com, Rivals and Scout
- Ranked as the No. 9 wide receiver in Texas by 247Sports
- First-team All-Area and All-State private school team after hauling in 58 catches for 905 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014
- Selected to Greater Houston first-team offense
- Finalist for Touchdown Club of Houston Offensive Player of the Year
- Four-year letterwinner in football and three-year letterwinner in basketball
- Team captain for both football and basketball teams as a senior
Personal
- Born Nov. 13, 1996
- Son of Joe and Gwen Mays
- Has two sisters
- Cousin, Roger Lee Jordan, played football at Northwestern from 2000-04
- Cousin, Larry Micheaux, played basketball for the University of Houston from 1979-83 (Phi Slamma Jamma)
- Cousin Kendrick Bridges played basketball at Houston Baptist University from 1998-2002
- Involved in many community services initiatives, including Beating Cancer with a Stick and Kinkaid Special Olympics
- Served as a mentor in Kinkaid Peer Mentor Program
- Plans to major in business
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
