Jaden Mickey gave Notre Dame a much-needed high-level cornerback recruit, as he signed early with the Irish. The Irish hadn’t secured a four-star (or better) cornerback since 2019. Following the hiring of the young and defensive-minded Marcus Freeman, the Irish reeled in Mickey officially.
Hailing from Corona, California, Jaden Mickey is the 25th-ranked cornerback in his class and the No. 200 player, nationally. He’s ranked as the 15th-best player from California. Checking in at six-foot and 175 pounds, Mickey has the measurables to be a starting cornerback. He picked Notre Dame over Cal, Northwestern, and Oregon, all of which he named finalists in his recruiting process.
When Mickey released his list of finalists, he described Oregon as his ‘dream school growing up’, so Notre Dame scored a big win. The cornerback mentioned the hires of Freeman and cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens as key factors in his decision. He also sent Notre Dame a video of his 40-yard dash at its request, clocking in between a 4.4 and 4.5. That matches up with the 4.45 that Clarence Lewis boasted entering college – Lewis took over a starting role as a freshman.
Jaden Mickey Could Earn Early Opportunity
Mickey added to a strong high school campaign at Centennial, a national powerhouse, in 2021. He finished with two interceptions, two tackles for loss, and 10 pass breakups as a senior. Further, he finished his varsity career with nine interceptions. His ball-hawking abilities earned him a promotion to Centennial’s varsity squad late in his freshman campaign. He’ll look to make a similar early impact with the Irish.
Notre Dame’s depth at the position is certainly in question. Lewis returns in 2022 as a clear starter. A few other corners are questionable; Tariq Bracy only has his COVID year of eligibility left. Junior Cam Hart could be headed to the NFL. Sophomore Ramon Henderson has filled in at safety and may stay there in 2022. After that, it’s a lot of freshmen on the depth chart, and there’s no doubt Mickey has an avenue to early playing time in South Bend.
