Welcome RJ Mickens, Safety Clemson Round 6

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  • Fleet 1
    TPB Founder
    • Jun 2013
    • 2895
    • Kauai
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    Welcome RJ Mickens, Safety Clemson Round 6



    Height: 6000 (verified)

    Weight: 199lbs (verified)

    Year: Senior

    Pro Comparison: Chamarri Conner Scouting Overview


    Clemson Tigers safety RJ Mickens is a long, physical run defender with explosive linear traits that allow him to be an asset low and closer to the line of scrimmage. Mickens sees it fast as a run defender and with spacing of multiple routes in the shallow area of the field.

    He illustrates a large area of influence in zone and as a tackler in the intermediate areas of the field. He boasts reliable tackling finishes to prevent added yardage within the core. Mickens does not, however, appear to have the appeal to flex into man-to-man assignments and is a modest deep middle projection due to transitional quickness in space. 2025 NFL Combine Results
    Position Name School 40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Split Broad Jump Vertical Jump 3-Cone Drill 20-Yard Shuttle Bench Press
    S R.J. Mickens Clemson 4.49 1.55 121 41.5
    Positives
    • Boasts excellent length, boosting his gravitational pull in coverage and as a tackler
    • Rapid, instinctive processor who sees play development well
    • Posted explosive marks in a number of tests, affirming his linear twitch
    Negatives
    • Lacks the same explosiveness in transition as he affords coming downhill
    • Foot speed and man-to-man plaster ability are unlikely winning traits
    • Limited ceiling and appeal to play on the roof as a high-post defender due to range
    Background


    Mickens is from Southlake, TX, and played high school football for Carroll HS. He is the son of former NFL defensive back Ray Mickens — a 10-year NFL veteran who was an All-American at Texas A&M. At Carroll HS, RJ was a two-way talent who starred as a wide receiver and a defensive back.

    As a 4-star recruit, Mickens was regarded as one of the best safety recruits in the country and eventually committed to Clemson as a member of the program’s 2020 recruiting class. Mickens chose the Tigers over programs such as Alabama and Ohio State.

    Mickens played in less than 40 snaps during the COVID-19 pandemic season in 2020, retaining his four-year college eligibility in the process. As a second-year freshman in 2021, Mickens was a rotational defender while logging his first two career starts. 2022 saw him serve as a partial starter with six starts in 13 appearances before taking over as a full-time starter for his final two seasons with the Tigers — Mickens started 22 of his final 24 games with the program from 2023 to 2024.
    Tale Of The Tape


    Mickens has NFL bloodlines that proudly shine on his tape at Clemson. He’s a bit of a later bloomer — he’ll be a 24-year-old rookie who really made a major leap in his play during the 2024 season. However, Mickens fits the mold of box safety in the NFL and has the traits and physicality to be a productive NFL talent.

    His eyes are disciplined and offer him a wide field of vision as a box defender or when tasked with playing as a rotation player dropping down into the core. He was finally allowed to live on the second level and serve as a subpackage box defender in 2024.

    He posted 312 snaps in the core this past season vs. 427 in his four previous seasons at Clemson combined. This is a major piece of his breakout campaign and underscores the skill specificity he brings to the table.

    Mickens is a sturdy tackler, thanks to his play strength, striking ability, and length. His wingspan (77.63”, 78th percentile) creates challenges for would-be blockers trying to crack or seal him off from running lanes and for quarterbacks trying to throw around him in the intermediate areas of the field or over the middle.

    This, plus how well he sees the field, allows him to be well-positioned and win reps early with anticipation before his physical presence shows up around the football.

    There appears to be an inverse relationship between his appeal in coverage and how close he is to the line of scrimmage. Up close, Mickens’ vision and length can serve as force multipliers to shallow angles and tighter spaces. Putting him on the roof seems to compound some of his transitional difficulties and puts him under more stress as a coverage player.

    He should be considered sufficient to play deep halves, but if serving as the high post player in Cover 1 or Cover 3, he could be a conflict defender who struggles to properly flip and transition to space the field.

    1-man heavy schemes may find the most challenges in getting him into favorable assignments with consistency unless he’s serving as a shallow robber or spy. His man-to-man outlook is limited due to his transitions and hips as a taller and heavier safety.

    Mickens has only modest experience on special teams outside of punt return and field goal block. He’s logged just 100 snaps combined on a kick return, kickoff, and punt coverage across five seasons of play.
    Ideal Scheme Fit, Role


    Mickens projects as a traditional box/strong safety at the NFL level. He should be regarded as a potential developmental starter who will need to be limited in how often he’s asked to defend larger areas of grass or play in isolation.

    Grade: 71.50/100.00, Fifth Round Value

    Big Board Rank: 152

    Position Rank: SAF11

    Get ready for the 2025 NFL Draft with a scouting report on Clemson safety RJ Mickens. See Micken's stats, background, strengths..
  • 21&500
    Bolt Spit-Baller
    • Sep 2018
    • 13072
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    • CMB refugee
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    #2
    The BEAST:


    All safeties
    s21
    NOT RANKED IN TOP 100
    LAC
    RD
    6
    PK
    38 R.J. Mickens

    Clemson

    HT

    6′0″

    WT

    199

    YR

    5SR

    AGE

    23.79
    Jump to:
    Overview
    Strengths
    Weaknesses
    Background
    Stats Overview

    hometown
    Southlake, TX
    high school
    Carroll
    birthday
    July 10, 2001
    jersey
    #9

    A three-year starter at Clemson, Mickens played a versatile safety role in former defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin’s scheme, aligning at free safety, nickel and near the box. He made the most of his final season, finishing third on the team in tackles (85) and second in interceptions (two).

    The son of an 11-year NFL veteran, Mickens grew up around the game, and it shows in the way he sees the field — especially when working from depth in the run game as a willing, secure tackler. In coverage, he is more smooth than sudden with his movements and trusts his instincts to lead him to the catch point. Overall, Mickens doesn’t consistently play up to his testing numbers, but he has a keen sense of football geometry and takes precise, physical angles to the football. He projects as a potential backup and special-teamer in the NFL.

    grade7th Round Testing
    combine 6000 199 87/8 321/4 775/8 4.49 2.65 1.57 411/2 10′1″ DNP DNP DNP No SS, three-cone, bench (choice)
    pro day 6000 199 87/8 32″ 781/4 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 17
    Glossary


    Back to top

    Advertisement Strengths
    1. Solidly built with quality length
    2. Appeared leaner and quicker in 2024 compared to underclassman tape
    3. Drives downhill and widens feet to break down and finish tackles
    4. Physical in run support, getting low and sticking his pads into the gut of gap runners
    5. Smoothly turns with tight ends and receivers out of the break
    6. Reads quarterback’s eyes from depth, with instincts to jump passes
    7. Productive player on the ball — wide receiver background shows (had a pick six called back by penalty in playoff game versus Texas)
    8. Named a team captain in 2024 and was recognized as a P.A.W. Journey ambassador (unique leadership)
    9. Played on punt return coverages all five seasons


    Back to top Weaknesses
    1. Solid yet unspectacular athlete
    2. Mediocre speed in coverage and will give up separation on crossers or vertical shots
    3. Lacks suddenness in recovery attempts
    4. Wasn’t flagged in 2024, but he got away with grabs in coverage, especially deep (see 2024 Georgia tape)
    5. Misses in the run game usually came when he left his feet too early


    Back to top Background


    William “R.J.” Mickens, one of four children, was born in Irving, Texas, with his parents (Ray and Nicole). He spent part of his childhood in New York during his father’s playing days — Ray Mickens Sr. played football and ran track at Texas A&M and was a third-round pick (No. 62) in the 1996 NFL Draft. He played for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots during an 11-year NFL career (1996-2006).

    The family settled in Southlake, Texas (just outside of Dallas), where R.J. attended elementary school. He started playing pee wee for the Giants, and football became his passion from an early age (he wore his dad’s No. 24 in youth football). Mickens also played baseball and soccer (goalie) growing up. In middle school, he was a member of the North Texas FBU club team that won a national championship. His three siblings are talented athletes, as well: His older sister (Kami) was a standout basketball player at Southlake Carroll and played at Boston College (2013-14), Trinity Valley Junior College (2014-15) and SMU (2015-17); his younger brother (Preston) played defensive back at Carroll and walked on at Oklahoma before the 2024 season; and his youngest sister (Baylee) is a standout high school soccer player.

    Mickens attended Carroll High, where he was a four-year varsity starter and played on both sides of the ball (wide receiver, cornerback and safety). After posting 36 tackles and three interceptions as a freshman, he had a breakout sophomore season (99 tackles, four forced fumbles and two interceptions, including one pick six). As a junior, Mickens posted 57 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble. He battled a foot injury as a senior, finishing with 19 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception over eight games. He was named all-state for the third straight year as a senior and honored as a U.S. Army All-American. Mickens caught passes from future Texas QB Quinn Ewers, collecting 61 receptions for 1,092 yards and 14 touchdowns over his career. He also returned kickoffs and punts (one touchdown return in 2017).

    A four-star recruit, Mickens was the 23rd-ranked safety in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 35 recruit in Texas. His first offer (Arizona) arrived before the start of his freshman season (Aug. 2016). By the end of his sophomore year, Mickens had received offers from Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and others. Along with being a former NFL player, his father evaluated defensive backs at regional and national camps as part of the Nike Opening, so R.J. was well known on the recruiting trail. After his junior season, he committed to Clemson (over Ohio State) in April 2019. Mickens was the 12th-ranked recruit in head coach Dabo Swinney’s 2020 class. He took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to the Tigers for a fifth season. He graduated with a degree in management (Dec. 2023). Mickens accepted his invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl.


    Back to top Stats

    Defense
    2020 Clemson 10 0 1 0.0 0.0 0 0 0
    2021 Clemson 13 2 30 0.5 0.0 0 2 2
    2022 Clemson 13 6 48 3.0 0.0 0 5 3
    2023 Clemson 11 9 42 4.0 0.0 0 3 0
    2024 Clemson 13 13 75 6.0 0.0 0 9 2
    Total 60 30 196 13.5 0.0 0 19 7
    Notes & Awards
    2020 Clemson Pandemic-shortened season; enrolled January 2020
    2023 Clemson Missed two games (appendicitis)
    2024 Clemson Honorable Mention All-ACC; missed one game (injury); team captain
    Glossary


    Back to top

    R.J. Mickens
    HAMMER TIME
    (can't touch him)

    Comment

    • Bolt-O
      Administrator
      • Jun 2013
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      #3
      Special Teams this year, and backup FS. Always need good gunners.

      Comment

      • 21&500
        Bolt Spit-Baller
        • Sep 2018
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        #4
        Great vert
        apparently sees the field well and takes great angles.
        HAMMER TIME
        (can't touch him)

        Comment

        • Fleet 1
          TPB Founder
          • Jun 2013
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          #5
          Dalton Wasserman loves this pick. Most of our picks in his top 100.

          Comment

          • powderblueboy
            Registered Charger Fan
            • Jul 2017
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            #6
            seems like a best available player pick ... on top of espn's board of best still remaining players for maybe a round until Hortiz grabbed him.

            Comment

            • powderblueboy
              Registered Charger Fan
              • Jul 2017
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              #7
              Originally posted by Fleet 1 View Post
              Dalton Wasserman loves this pick. Most of our picks in his top 100.

              https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-...ects-big-board
              and Gadsen is #73, just in front of Kennard

              But PFF gives the Chargers an overall D+

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              • Fleet 1
                TPB Founder
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                #8
                Originally posted by powderblueboy View Post

                and Gadsen is #73, just in front of Kennard
                No Tre Harris. Unless i missed it. His live feed he loved the pick though. lol

                Comment

                • powderblueboy
                  Registered Charger Fan
                  • Jul 2017
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by 21&500 View Post
                  Great vert
                  apparently sees the field well and takes great angles.
                  And a sub 4.5 - 40, and strong tackler.

                  Probably doesn't have the hips of a lock down corner.

                  Comment

                  • DerwinBosa
                    Registered Charger Fan
                    • Feb 2022
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                    #10
                    From Bob McGinn's article before the draft:

                    R.J. Mickens, Clemson (6-0, 199, 4.57)

                    Said one scout: “Dad (Ray: 5-7 ½, 176, 4.42) was an NFL player (nickel, 1996-’06) and he plays like it. Smart, aware and smooth. A good tackler with good ball skills. Not a dynamic athlete but knows how to play and produce. He’s just a good player.”

                    Comment

                    • CanadianBoltFan
                      Registered Charger Fan
                      • Jul 2022
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                      #11
                      Kollman and the Bootleg boys love this pick, actually they LOVE the Chargers draft

                      Comment

                      • Jack Burton
                        Registered Charger Fan
                        • Apr 2023
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                        #12
                        This guy is a steal. He’s the Still of this draft.

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