For Carroll senior RJ Mickens, a four-year letterman who heads to Clemson on a football scholarship next fall, playing for the Dragons has been a dream come true. In some cases, quite literally.
Days before his first varsity start as a defensive back his freshman year, Mickens dreamed he intercepted a pass in the upcoming game. He woke up excited by the idea and resolved to make it happen.
“I knew that if I made a play, it would solidify me and show them I could compete and make plays,” says Mickens, now a captain and leader on a talented Carroll roster. “I prayed about it and everything, and when the game came, I got an interception. I picked off a pass on a square route. The quarterback overthrew it, and I just came up. So that was crazy.”
Since then, Mickens’ continued hard work has allowed him to make other dreams a reality. The two-way athlete, who shares duties as a safety and wide receiver for the Dragons, was named second-team state among defenders as a sophomore and state honorable mention on defense last year by AP as well as District 5-6A Utility Player of the Year in 2018 for his double duties on offense and defense. The defensive back garnered first-team district honors as a sophomore and junior to boot.
But most impressive is the recognition he’s received on the national level. Considered one of the top defensive backs among high school athletes across the nation, Max Preps named Mickens a second team All-American after last season. He was highly sought after, entertaining offers by some of the top college programs in the country including Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Michigan before committing to play for coach Dabo Swinney at Clemson, the reigning national champs.
“It’s actually mind-blowing,” Mickens says of his plans to join the Tigers, a program known for its stellar defense. “They’ve been good the past six or so years, they’ve been good before then, but just recently they’ve really elevated. Coach Swinney just signed a 10-year, $10 million deal or something like that, so knowing he’s not going anywhere the whole time I’ll be there is great.
“It all starts over once I get there; it feels like the freshman year of high school repeats itself, and I’ve got to work from down to up and hopefully it can go the same way my high school career went.”
But first things first. Mickens intends to finish on a high note and continue with the same work ethic and knowledgeable approach to the game that established him as a premier player. The Carroll team and coaching staff believe he has the tools to put together another banner year individually and help the Dragons reach lofty heights once again.
A productive player on both sides of the ball, there is more to Mickens’ game than just the numbers he puts up. As the top passing target for Carroll’s offense last season, Mickens caught 43 passes for 643 yards and three touchdowns. He also registered 57 tackles, two interceptions, three knock-downs and caused a fumble while on defense. But his athleticism is just one dimension of all that he brings to his team according to Carroll head coach Riley Dodge.
“He’s got amazing ball skills. His football IQ is off the charts,” says Dodge. “But probably the one thing that separates him and where I think he’s most valuable for this football team is his experience.
“It’s like you have another coach on the field, even on the sidelines or when he’s talking to other guys in the film room,” he says. “Our guys listen to him, they understand that he’s played a lot of football. He doesn’t have all the answers and neither do I, but he gets it. He’s not the most vocal guy, but when he talks, they listen.”
Mickens’ defensive prowess runs deep, due to both pedigree and exposure. His father, Ray Mickens, starred at Texas A&M and played cornerback in the NFL for 11 seasons. Since he was in the fifth grade, the younger Mickens has also attended training camps hosted by Clay Mack, who has trained several current NFL defensive backs and is considered among the best in the business.
Mickens says his dad’s influence on his knowledge of football was evident from an early age.
“Honestly, I learned so much from just watching him, not necessarily him teaching me things, but just watching him and watching him play,” he says. “I’m always listening to him and soaking in information because he has a lot of information that he can share. He’s just added a savvy to me, just growing up around that.”
That knowledge, mixed with his athletic talent, is apparent when he’s on the field. Teammates who have played beside Mickens for years recognize the boost he provides the rest of the unit while serving on both sides of the ball.
“He’s running the show and is probably one of the smartest guys on the field,” senior linebacker Preston Forney says. “What I’ve also noticed is his ability to go across the field. Even if he’s on one side of the field, he still has the ability to come across and make plays on the other side, which is pretty insane.”
Fellow Carroll wide receiver John Manero says Mickens’ experience on the defensive side of the ball makes him that much stronger when playing offense and vice versa.
“He gives us good pointers and tips on how you can read the defense, and that’s helped me a lot,” says Manero, a senior who was second only to Mickens in team receptions in 2018 with 38 and gained 425 yards receiving. “But with his defensive knowledge, RJ can run amazing routes and he can just read the corner.
“That would be cool to have a perspective like that, to be running [at a defensive player in a position he has played], and he can read his hips and his leverage to know where he’s going to go. RJ just has a whole element of athleticism and confidence as a player.”
Dragon fans should enjoy the show while they can as the dual-threat aspect of his game most likely ends this fall. Known as a lock-down defender who causes quarterbacks to think twice before throwing in his direction, his role on defense will be his sole concentration once he joins Clemson next year.
However, Dodge expects that aspect of finality to work to the Dragons’ favor offensively when Mickens suits up as a receiver this season.
“I think it’s more of a benefit, selfishly, for me because he loves playing receiver,” Dodge says. “He likes the ball coming to him. I think we’re going to get the best out of him on the offensive side of the ball because he knows it’s his last time playing [receiver], so he’s going to go out with a bang.
“He’s amazing when the ball is in the air, with the 50-50 ball. Once he contests the ball with the DB, when it’s not easy, he finds a way somehow to come up with the ball.”
Mickens admits playing offense and catching passes is a thrill and that he’ll miss it when that portion of his playing days are through. But he also knows that providing quality coverage in the secondary is a premium that most college programs look for and an area where he can have a huge impact while his team faces talented offenses at the Division I level.
“I realized [entering high school] that you’re going to do whatever it takes to get on the field, and typically playing DB is a little easier to get on the field,” he says. “People don’t like it as much. It’s harder; the odds are against you a little more. There are not as many out there as receivers. Everyone wants to go out there and catch and score touchdowns, but not everybody wants to cover; it’s not as popular. So I feel it will be the same deal going into college.”
With three years of varsity experience under his belt, Mickens has plenty of thrilling moments to remember, from touchdown catches to interception returns in big games. He intends to help make some more positive memories for himself and his Dragon teammates this fall.
But he also wants to learn from adversity, like the tough playoff loss to Duncanville last year, using it as fuel to improve and overcome future challenges.
Most of all, he just wants to be a positive role model for younger players entering varsity, helping make the transition as smooth as possible for them.
“I just look to provide guidance for people who aren’t sure, because I was once there and I know how it feels,” he says. “It’s not a good feeling when you have to play a game and you’re not prepared or feel uncertain about something. I’m just here for people, because I’ve played in big games, and some of these guys haven’t. I just know what to do and what it takes, and what I need to tell people to help bring them up and get mentally right for the game.”