R.J. Mickens

Los Angeles ChargersUNDERPAID

Pos S

Updated October 8, 2026

Compare R.J. Mickens S rankings →

Model Score

73.7 MODEL

Resting on limited playing time

2025

71.4

2026

73.7

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

STM Take

First STTM ranking at tier 5 (#34) in year two for a 237th overall 7th-round pick puts Mickens in the rare outlier-positive class for Day 3 S late-bloomer prospects. The Clemson ACC 7th-round origin plus the NFL-family bloodline (Ray Mickens) give him real foundation. The 2026 question is whether Mickens holds tier 5 or better across a full second starter season or whether the role compresses to swing depth.

Mickens came out of Clemson as the Los Angeles Chargers' 7th-round pick (237th overall) in 2024, the son of former NFL Pro Bowl CB Ray Mickens. He spent his rookie year as developmental depth before emerging into a rotational safety role in 2025. His first STTM appearance comes in 2025 at tier 5 (#34), an unusual year-two breakout for a 7th-round pick.

Strengths

Year-two tier 5 (#34) STTM finish for a 237th overall 7th-round pick puts him in the rare outlier-positive class for Day 3 S prospects.
Clemson ACC 7th-round origin plus the NFL-family bloodline (Ray Mickens) gives him real college foundation.

Concerns

Single tier 5 finish without prior STTM history caps the long-term projection certainty.
Chargers' broader defensive identity around Derwin James's primary anchor priority compresses Mickens's structural snap share.

What to watch: Whether Mickens holds tier 5 or better in 2026 with the Chargers or whether the role compresses to swing depth.