RM #27

RJ Mickens

Safety · Clemson

A Clemson safety with NFL bloodlines who intercepted Aaron Rodgers during a productive rookie season in Los Angeles.

R.J. Mickens is a safety for the Los Angeles Chargers who arrived as a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a durable four-year career at Clemson. The son of former longtime NFL defensive back Ray Mickens, he carved out a rotational role behind the Chargers' veteran safeties as a rookie and made his presence felt with a pair of interceptions.

★ Sixth-round pick, No. 214 overall, 2025 NFL Draft

★ One of 10 players in Clemson history to play in 60 career games

★ Intercepted Aaron Rodgers as a rookie

Path to the league

Mickens became one of only 10 players in Clemson program history to appear in 60 career games, finishing with 229 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups. In his final season in 2024 he posted a career-best 85 tackles with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. The Chargers selected him with the 214th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Mickens earned an 89.8 Pro Football Focus coverage grade during his senior season at Clemson, tied for fourth-best among safeties nationally with at least 500 snaps. He is the son of Ray Mickens, who played cornerback in the NFL for over a decade, giving him a family pedigree at the position.

2025 season recap

Mickens played in 12 regular-season games as a rookie for the Chargers, recording 29 tackles and two interceptions while working as a rotational safety behind starters Derwin James Jr. and Elijah Molden. His interceptions came against the Vikings in Week 8 and the Steelers in Week 10, when he picked off Aaron Rodgers.