USC's Mays is taking a pro-active approach

"We were eating pizza," Mays says, chuckling at the memory. "Now three seasons have gone by and I've played in almost 40 games. It goes fast."

Mays wasted no time making an impression.

As a freshman, he planted himself in the front row of the classroom during position-group meetings and hung on secondary coach Rocky Seto's every word. He leaned on fellow safety Kevin Ellison, looking to the then-sophomore for insight and direction, especially after Josh Pinkard's season-ending knee injury in the 2006 opener at Arkansas thrust Mays into the starting lineup.

And he lived in the film room most nights, availing himself of advice as coaches emerged from meetings.

"Everyone sees how physical he is," Seto says, "but nobody knows how driven he is to see how good he can become."

In an effort to improve his already imposing physical presence, Mays last spring gave up his beloved pizza and other foods that might derail his performance.

On the advice of former teammates who paid for a specialized food service while training for the NFL draft, Mays did too -- along with linebacker Brian Cushing. Since spring, three meals and three snacks have been delivered each day to their apartment.

Mays' body fat dropped from 6% to 4%.

"I don't want to have any regrets," he says. "I wanted to give myself every chance I have to do this thing right."

Mays got leaner and appeared to become meaner too, especially in the second half of the season.

At Arizona, he knocked the Wildcats' top running back out of the game. Against California, after Ellison had suffered a knee injury a week earlier, Mays broke up several passes with spectacular bone-crunching hits, continuing to set the trend for a strong late-season run.

"I was doing the same thing I've always done, I just think more things broke out," Mays says, matter-of-factly.

Carroll says there was more to it.

"When Kevin got hurt, [Mays] realized he really needed to take over and assume the leadership position," Carroll says. "He looked different from that point. He's played like one of the best in the country since then."

Like other draft-eligible Trojans, Mays has petitioned the NFL for an evaluation of his projected draft position. His father and Carroll have discussed the issue and Mays and his parents will do so again after the Rose Bowl.

The deadline to declare for the April draft is Jan. 15.

"I think he's really torn," says Mays' mother, Laurie.