{"id":42212,"date":"2021-12-15T11:06:44","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=42212"},"modified":"2021-12-15T11:06:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:06:44","slug":"jaden-mickey-signs-gives-irish-four-star-corner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2021\/12\/15\/jaden-mickey-signs-gives-irish-four-star-corner\/","title":{"rendered":"Jaden Mickey Signs, Gives Irish Four Star Corner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jaden Mickey<\/strong> gave Notre Dame a much-needed high-level cornerback recruit, as he signed early with the Irish. The Irish hadn\u2019t secured a four-star (or better) cornerback since 2019. Following the hiring of the young and defensive-minded Marcus Freeman<\/strong>, the Irish reeled in Mickey officially.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hailing from Corona, California, Jaden Mickey is the 25th-ranked cornerback in his class and the No. 200 player, nationally. He\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Mickey released his list of finalists, he described Oregon as his \u2018dream school growing up’, so Notre Dame scored a big win. The cornerback mentioned the hires of Freeman and cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens<\/strong> 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<\/a> boasted entering college – Lewis took over a starting role as a freshman.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jaden Mickey Could Earn Early Opportunity<\/h3>\n

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\u2019s varsity squad late in his freshman campaign. He\u2019ll look to make a similar early impact with the Irish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Notre Dame\u2019s depth at the position is certainly in question. Lewis returns in 2022 as a clear starter. A few other corners are questionable; Tariq Bracy<\/strong> only has his COVID year of eligibility left. Junior Cam Hart<\/a> could be headed to the NFL. Sophomore Ramon Henderson<\/strong> has filled in at safety and may stay there in 2022. After that, it\u2019s a lot of freshmen on the depth chart, and there\u2019s no doubt Mickey has an avenue to early playing time in South Bend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>