Note: The following appears in the Stanford football gameday program.
The last name “Mickens” has been no stranger to the game of football over the past few decades. Even before Tiger safety R.J. Mickens introduced himself to the spotlight, his father, Ray Mickens, was a star defensive back not only at Texas A&M, but also during his 10-year career in the NFL with the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
The Tiger fifth-year senior was born in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Mickens spent some time living in New York during his childhood while his father played for the Jets before eventually settling down in Southlake, Texas, where he retains most of his memories as a youth.
“When my dad played for the Jets, I would live in New York during the season. In the offseason, we would go back to Dallas. I started going to school in Southlake in first grade. My dad played, so I was set on playing football my whole life. I also played baseball and was a goalkeeper in soccer.”
A multi-sport athlete growing up, Mickens’ No. 1 passion was always football. He credited his father for not only introducing him to the sport, but for also being his most significant role model and coach.
“Having my dad as a mentor was everything. I was around seven when he retired, so I still have memories from some of his last games with the Patriots. He’s always brought football in my life, and I am thankful for that. He taught me how to work hard and earn it. He’s been taking me through workouts ever since.”
While Mickens expressed a significant love and respect for his parents and their accomplishments, he did not shy away from emphasizing the pressures he faced growing up with a father in the NFL, so much so that he decided to change his jersey number in high school.
“I felt a lot of pressure, honestly, wanting to be like him. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, so I put that pressure on myself. It helped me and made me who I am today. I always heard ‘Ray Mickens’ son,’ but I wanted to be my own person, so I changed my number. He was #24 and I was #24 my whole life until I made that change. I changed to #10, my personal favorite.”
It was during Mickens’ time living in Southlake that he decided to attend the well-known and well-respected Carroll High school. While there, he was coached by Riley Dodge, a previous state champion and Gatorade Player-of-the-Year. Mickens credited his current position and much of his success to his experiences in the Texas high school football system as well as the advice and mentorship he gained from Dodge.
“Coach Dodge is a great coach and is one of the best coaches I have been around. He’s an awesome guy who reminds me a lot of Coach (Garrett) Riley. He’s a young and energetic guy. Coach Dodge also played quarterback at Carroll High School, won three state championships and was a national player-of-the-year, so he was a respected man in the community.”
Mickens spent his career at Carroll High School playing both sides of the ball as a defensive back and wide receiver. He spent a large chunk of his career there catching passes from Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. It was during that time that Mickens was able to rack up offers from top-level schools all across the country. It was not until April of his junior year that Mickens committed to Clemson.
“I had a bunch of offers, but over the recruiting process, I started to mature. It wasn’t all about looks. I started to care about my holistic development and the teams that were going to put me on the biggest stage. I wanted to be a part of a winning program.
“Coming on visits, I built a great relationship with Coach (Mickey) Conn, Coach (Brent) Venables and Coach (Dabo) Swinney. They showed me how much I meant to them, and I believed it was genuine. I felt comfortable here.”
Upon arriving at Clemson, Mickens became fully committed to the defensive side of the ball as a safety and working on special teams. He began his career at Clemson on the 2020 CFP team, as he played 10 games that season.
“Being a part of that team doesn’t feel real knowing the people I was playing with and what they are able to do now. A lot of good players and NFL guys were on that team. Seeing that preparation and that type of dedication throughout the offseason and in all the workouts made everyone so confident. I’m trying to bring that to this team, bringing that respect factor and old values that I saw those leaders do.”
Following a successful 2023 season at Clemson, there was some speculation that Mickens would follow in his father’s footsteps and enter his name in the NFL draft. However, this was settled early when the safety announced in December that he would return for his fifth and final year with the Tigers.
“I was thinking about possibly going pro. Coming in, many players plan on playing three years and getting out (NFL draft), but I had not graduated or had the career I wanted up until then. I didn’t get the production I wanted nor did we have the season we hoped for. I wanted to come back and finish some business and go out the right way. I talked with my mom and dad, and we decided this was the best thing to do.”
Now in his fifth year with the Tigers, Mickens, who has worn #9 at Clemson, has played 50 games with 20 starts. He credited the Clemson coaching staff members for their commitment to his athletic development as well as his formation as a person.
“Coach Conn has been in my circle for eight years now, and the same with Coach (Mike) Reed. I’ve also been tight with Coach (Wes) Goodwin over the past three years. It’s been awesome to learn from so many great minds. So many great minds went into making me who I am today.
“Coach Swinney has probably shared the most wisdom with me other than what I’ve heard from my father. It’s all the stuff he has taught me about life, how to handle adversity and how to think the right way.”
Off the field, Mickens was awarded the title of P.A.W. Journey ambassador. It is an honor awarded to members of the Clemson football team who display unique leadership and attentiveness to develop their team. Mickens considered this label to be one of his greatest accomplishments during his time in Tigertown.
“P.A.W. Journey is a leadership initiative that empowers scholar-athletes to walk on their own two feet. A lot of people come in not knowing their identity behind football. It is about the holistic development, figuring out who you are and becoming your own man.”
Outside of football, Mickens enjoys escaping back to his Texas roots by hunting and fishing whenever he can.
Mickens is grateful for the lessons and knowledge he has gained from his father, his time at Carroll High School and at Clemson University. But in his last year with in Tigertown, he hopes to write a new chapter in the Mickens family football story.
