Clemson Safety R.J. Mickens announces return

Clemson safety R.J. Mickens announced his intentions to return to Clemson for his final season via a post on Twitter moments ago.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family. Your unwavering support, attending every game possible and being there for me every day, has been my source of strength and comfort. You've brought clarity and peace into my life in ways I can never truly repay.

To my teammates and coaches, you're not just that but you're family to me. Thank you for all of the memories and moments that I hold closest to my heart. I couldn't imagine going to war with anyone else by my side.

Clemson, you hold a unique and cherished place in my heart. To the best fans in the nation, your unwavering support has made these years some of the best of my life. Your passion and spirit fuel my determination every day.

After much thought and prayer, I have decided that I will be returning to Clemson for my final year. This university means the world to me, and we've got unfinished business.”

Notes on Mickens from ClemsonTigers.com

NFL legacy who enters the 2023 bowl season having recorded 141 tackles (6.5 for loss), five interceptions, seven pass breakups and a fumble recovery over 1,370 career snaps in 46 games (16 starts).

2023: Enters bowl season ranked third on the team with 47 tackles (3.0 for loss) and credited with four pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 478 snaps over 10 games (eight starts) … recorded five tackles and a pass breakup at Duke … recorded one tackle vs. Charleston Southern … added two tackles vs. Florida Atlantic … posted team-high seven tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. No. 4 Florida State … notched four tackles and two pass breakups at Syracuse … registered a team-high nine tackles (one for loss) and the first fumble recovery of his career vs. Wake Forest … added nine tackles (one for loss) at Miami (Fla.) … returned from an appendectomy by recording four tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. Georgia Tech … accrued four tackles and a pass breakup vs. No. 20 North Carolina … added two tackles at South Carolina.

2022: Third-team All-ACC selection by Pro Football Focus … credited with 55 tackles (3.0 for loss), a team-high three interceptions and two pass breakups in 519 defensive snaps over 13 games (six starts) … contributed three tackles and a pass breakup at Georgia Tech … credited with seven tackles vs. Furman … posted five tackles and his first interception of the season vs. Louisiana Tech … contributed four tackles at No. 21 Wake Forest … credited with five tackles vs. No. 10 NC State … made four tackles (1.5 for loss) at Florida State … added one tackle and the game-winning interception vs. No. 14 Syracuse … made three tackles at Notre Dame … posted three tackles (one for loss) vs. Louisville … recorded three tackles and a pass deflection that led to a Jalyn Phillips interception vs. Miami (Fla.) … recorded four tackles (0.5 for loss) and his career-high third interception of the season vs. South Carolina … made five tackles vs. No. 24 North Carolina … posted eight tackles in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Tennessee.

2021: Credited with 37 tackles (0.5 for loss), two interceptions and two pass breakups over 337 snaps in 13 games (two starts) … contributed on special teams vs. No. 5 Georgia … earned a third-team all-conference nod from Phil Steele … recorded two tackles and his first career interception (which he returned 37 yards) vs. SC State … registered a career-high 10 tackles at NC State … added three tackles and his second interception of the season vs. Boston College … had one tackle and a pass breakup at Syracuse … contributed eight tackles at No. 23 Pitt … credited with eight tackles (0.5 for loss) at Louisville … made three tackles vs. UConn … added one tackle vs. No. 13 Wake Forest … made one tackle vs. Iowa State.

2020: Credited with two tackles in 36 snaps over 10 games … made collegiate debut at Wake Forest … recorded one tackle vs. The Citadel … thrust into action defensively late in double overtime game at No. 4 Notre Dame … contributed a tackle at Virginia Tech.

Before Clemson: Played for Riley Dodge at Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas … as a four-year starter, recorded 211 career tackles, eight interceptions and 40 passes defensed and added 61 receptions for 1,092 yards and 14 touchdowns offensively … was also an outstanding punt returner with 29 career returns for 574 yards, a 19.8-yard average … recorded 19 tackles, a tackle for loss and three passes broken up in limited action and added seven punt returns for 121 yards, a 17.3-yard average in 2019 … posted 57 tackles in 2018, adding two interceptions, five total pass breakups and a tackle for loss while also contributing 14 punt returns for 294 yards, 21.0 yards per return … as a sophomore in 2017, posted a career-high 99 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and 15 passes defensed … averaged 20 yards per punt return on eight returns as a sophomore … had 13 passes defensed, three interceptions and 36 tackles as a freshman … selected to U.S. Army All-American Bowl … during early signing period, ranked as No. 33 overall player in the nation, the second-best safety and fourth-best player in Texas by PrepStar … 247Sports ranked him as the No. 98 overall player, the seventh-best safety and the 15th-best player in the state of Texas … ESPN.com listed him as the No. 138 overall player, the 12th-best safety and the 22nd-best player in Texas … listed as the No. 194 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com … was a preseason second-team MaxPreps All-American for 2019 … committed to Clemson on April 6, 2019 … recruited to Clemson by Mickey Conn.

Personal: Born July 10, 2001 … son of former Texas A&M All-American defensive back Ray Mickens, Sr. … Ray Mickens, Sr. was a third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, for whom he played for eight seasons, and played one year in Cleveland for a total of 146 career NFL games … enrolled at Clemson in January 2020 … earned degree in management in December 2023.

Note: Tackle stats in the bio above reflect statistics from coaches film review. Tackle stats in the table below reflect those as awarded by gameday stat crews.