Chargers' sixth-round pick proved 'just draft good football players' ideology

Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz has seemingly found every way possible to find contributors in the secondary room. Whether it was trades, day 3 picks or inheriting superstars, this Chargers secondary has been filled with talent.

One of the most recent additions to this secondary room was the drafting of RJ Mickens, the safety from Clemson in the sixth round.

Eight weeks into the NFL season, Mickens has been simply "a good football player" whenever called upon

The pre-draft process failed RJ Mickens; leading Joe Hortiz to find value in the sixth round

During the pre-draft process, Mickens was highlighted as a pro-ready rookie with NFL bloodlines and strong fundamentals. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had this to say in regard to Mickens:

"Mickens has a desirable blend of size and length for his move to the pros. The son of a former NFL cornerback, he plays like a pro with good pre-snap anticipation and post-snap instincts. His field awareness is a plus in zone coverage, but he’s not sudden or fast, so technique and timing will be crucial for man-cover success. His ability to alter pursuit angles and break down in space as a tackler help him stand out against others in this class. He’s technically sound as a wrap-up tackler but his stopping power is fairly average. Mickens answered questions about his speed at the NFL Scouting Combine (4.49-second 40-yard dash), so his consistency in reading and responding to the play should not be diminished."

So with high praise and a good resume, what was the reason for Mickens falling to the sixth-round?

Some could argue that his grabbiness in pass coverage coupled with his mediocre range, is a recipe for disaster when being asked to translate to the NFL, but in reality, it seemed as though NFL scouts overthought Mickens.

A well-rounded safety who was "boring" is now telling the league that by simply "drafting good football players," things will work themselves out.

Going into the halfway point of the NFL season, Mickens has climbed the Chargers depth chart. Week 1 Mickens was inactive. Weeks 2 & 3 had Mickens spend 23 total snaps on special teams. Weeks 4 & 5 were more weeks of inactivity.

Then came the Chargers Alohi Gilman-Odafe Oweh trade, right before Week 6. This sprang the door open for the rookie to start playing meaningful snaps. Mickens' first defensive action had 12 snaps, with some good... and one major mistake; he missed a tackle on Dolphins running back De'Von Achane that allowed a 49-yard touchdown.

This mistake seemed to be a singular event, as Mickens continued to play more and more defensive snaps, eventually culminating in a very strong performance in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.

rj mickens is all over it

📺 | @nflonprime pic.twitter.com/RNPzFdAmzN
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) October 24, 2025

As it currently stands, out of rookie safeties, with at least 50 defensive snaps, Mickens ranks: first in overall PFF defensive grade (73.0), first in coverage grade (72.5) and first in receptions allowed percentage (25.0%). Mickens has some work in run defense, ranking last in rush defense grade (55.7) and sixth in tackling grade (65.9).

With Mickens' latest performance being as strong as it was, the Chargers are thanking themselves for not overthinking the Clemson safety. With injuries to DBs Tarheeb Still and Tony Jefferson, Mickens could be in line for even more work, continuing to show what he's got during the last half of the 2025 NFL season.

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