R.J. Mickens

HISTORY — From College Profile

Enters 2023 having recorded 94 tackles (3.5 for loss), five interceptions and three pass breakups over 892 career snaps in 36 games (eight starts).

2022: Third-team All-ACC selection by Pro Football Focus … credited with 55 tackles (3.0 for loss), a team-high three interceptions and two pass breakups in 519 defensive snaps over 13 games (six starts) … contributed three tackles and a pass breakup at Georgia Tech … credited with seven tackles vs. Furman … posted five tackles and his first interception of the season vs. Louisiana Tech … contributed four tackles at No. 21 Wake Forest … credited with five tackles vs. No. 10 NC State … made four tackles (1.5 for loss) at Florida State … added one tackle and the game-winning interception vs. No. 14 Syracuse … made three tackles at Notre Dame … posted three tackles (one for loss) vs. Louisville … recorded three tackles and a pass deflection that led to a Jalyn Phillips interception vs. Miami (Fla.) … recorded four tackles (0.5 for loss) and his career-high third interception of the season vs. South Carolina … made five tackles vs. No. 24 North Carolina … posted eight tackles in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Tennessee.

2021: Credited with 37 tackles (0.5 for loss), two interceptions and two pass breakups over 337 snaps in 13 games (two starts) … contributed on special teams vs. No. 5 Georgia … earned a third-team all-conference nod from Phil Steele … recorded two tackles and his first career interception (which he returned 37 yards) vs. SC State … registered a career-high 10 tackles at NC State … added three tackles and his second interception of the season vs. Boston College … had one tackle and a pass breakup at Syracuse … contributed eight tackles at No. 23 Pitt … credited with eight tackles (0.5 for loss) at Louisville … made three tackles vs. UConn … added one tackle vs. No. 13 Wake Forest … made one tackle vs. Iowa State.

2020: Credited with two tackles in 36 snaps over 10 games … made collegiate debut at Wake Forest … recorded one tackle vs. The Citadel … thrust into action defensively late in double overtime game at No. 4 Notre Dame … contributed a tackle at Virginia Tech.

Before Clemson: Played for Riley Dodge at Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas … as a four-year starter, recorded 211 career tackles, eight interceptions and 40 passes defensed and added 61 receptions for 1,092 yards and 14 touchdowns offensively … was also an outstanding punt returner with 29 career returns for 574 yards, a 19.8-yard average … recorded 19 tackles, a tackle for loss and three passes broken up in limited action and added seven punt returns for 121 yards, a 17.3-yard average in 2019 … posted 57 tackles in 2018, adding two interceptions, five total pass breakups and a tackle for loss while also contributing 14 punt returns for 294 yards, 21.0 yards per return … as a sophomore in 2017, posted a career-high 99 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and 15 passes defensed … averaged 20 yards per punt return on eight returns as a sophomore … had 13 passes defensed, three interceptions and 36 tackles as a freshman … selected to U.S. Army All-American Bowl … during early signing period, ranked as No. 33 overall player in the nation, the second-best safety and fourth-best player in Texas by PrepStar … 247Sports ranked him as the No. 98 overall player, the seventh-best safety and the 15th-best player in the state of Texas … ESPN.com listed him as the No. 138 overall player, the 12th-best safety and the 22nd-best player in Texas … listed as the No. 194 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com … was a preseason second-team MaxPreps All-American for 2019 … committed to Clemson on April 6, 2019 … recruited to Clemson by Mickey Conn.

Personal: Born July 10, 2001 … son of former Texas A&M All-American defensive back Ray Mickens, Sr. … Ray Mickens, Sr. was a third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, for whom he played for eight seasons, and played one year in Cleveland for a total of 146 career NFL games … enrolled at Clemson in January 2020 … management major.

-- 6/15/23