One of the marquee names on the expected guest list for Clemson’s junior day event this weekend is four-star defensive back R.J. Mickens, who is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 safety and one of the top 50 prospects in the 2020 class regardless of position.
The Southlake (Texas) Carroll standout told The Clemson Insider last month that he would be attending the Tigers’ junior day this Saturday, March 9, and reaffirmed to TCI this week that he is set to visit campus with his mother.
Mickens (6-1, 190) most recently visited Clemson for the Louisville game at Death Valley in November and made the trip to campus last June as well.
“I’ve already been two or three times, so I kind of have a feel for how it is,” said Mickens, who received an offer from the Tigers in January 2018.
Mickens is the son of former Texas A&M All-American defensive back Ray Mickens, who went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets and a couple of other teams.
Ray has visited Clemson with R.J. in the past and was impressed by Dabo Swinney’s program.
“I think he’s been to Clemson twice,” R.J. said of his father. “He likes Clemson a lot. He likes the coaches, that they’re good people up there and it’s a good all-around place.”
Mickens has amassed more than two dozen total offers from the likes of Ohio State, Oklahoma, Stanford, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan and Notre Dame along with Clemson. He is in the process of narrowing down his recruitment and plans to release his top schools soon.
The Tigers view Mickens as a versatile defensive back capable of manning multiple positions in the secondary. He is tabbed by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 5 prospect from Texas, No. 1 safety nationally and No. 42 overall prospect in the 2020 class, while Rivals ranks him as the top safety and the No. 42 overall prospect as well.
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