Ray Mickens
Encyclopedia
Ray Mickens is an American football
cornerback
who is currently a free agent
. He most recently played for the New England Patriots
of the National Football League
. Mickens and his wife, Nicole, have a daughter, Kamray, and two sons, Ray Jr and Trayvon. His brother Fred Williams played for the former Houston Oilers.
, where he attended Andress High School and was a Division 1-5A All-State running back
in the 1990, 1991 football seasons. While in high school, he played against the Midland Lee Rebels football team to capture the Regional Championship.
Mickens played football and was a sprinter on the track and field team at Texas A&M University
. He was one of the top coverage cornerbacks in the country and was an All-American and All-Southwest Conference player in both his junior and senior years. He had four interceptions and broke up three other passes during his senior year. In spite of his relatively diminutive size, Mickens also handled run support well with 59 total tackles. He was also among the top punt returners in the nation that year with a 11.7 yard average. In the last game of his career, an Alamo Bowl
victory against Michigan
, he shut down the Wolverine receivers, switching positions when necessary to stop the “hot” receiver. For his career, he had 162 tackles and nine interceptions for Texas A&M. He started the final 34 games of his college career and finished his career 4th on A&M's all-time passes defended list.
in the 1996 NFL Draft
. He played for the Jets from 1996 to 2004. Mickens only sat out two games in his first eight NFL seasons before missing the 2004 season
because of a torn ACL
. He built a reputation as one of the top nickel backs in the NFL and also a very capable starter. He played in 126 games with 36 starts over the course of his first eight seasons while registering 365 tackles, 79 passes defended, 11 INT, four forced fumbles and six sacks. Mickens was released by the Jets when they acquired Ty Law
, after he commented to a reporter that the signing of Law would be great for the organization. He signed a one year contract with the Browns as a free agent
prior to the 2005 season and played in all 16 games, starting three, and recording 33 tackles and 16 passes defended.
Mickens signed with the Jets once again on May 31, 2006, but was eventually waived when rosters were reduced to the 53 men following the last pre-season game. He was signed by the New England Patriots in December 2006 and was a prominent player in the their run to the division championship game. He filed for free agency on March 3, 2007. Ray Mickens doesn't only have a famous brother. He has a cousin David Mickens who coaches a women's professional football league. Dave Mickens has led the (Socal Scorpions) to their first Super bowl in 2007 which made history in San Diego.
Mickens also won the 1999 Madden Bowl.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He most recently played for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Mickens and his wife, Nicole, have a daughter, Kamray, and two sons, Ray Jr and Trayvon. His brother Fred Williams played for the former Houston Oilers.
High school and college
Mickens grew up in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, where he attended Andress High School and was a Division 1-5A All-State running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the 1990, 1991 football seasons. While in high school, he played against the Midland Lee Rebels football team to capture the Regional Championship.
Mickens played football and was a sprinter on the track and field team at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
. He was one of the top coverage cornerbacks in the country and was an All-American and All-Southwest Conference player in both his junior and senior years. He had four interceptions and broke up three other passes during his senior year. In spite of his relatively diminutive size, Mickens also handled run support well with 59 total tackles. He was also among the top punt returners in the nation that year with a 11.7 yard average. In the last game of his career, an Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
victory against Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, he shut down the Wolverine receivers, switching positions when necessary to stop the “hot” receiver. For his career, he had 162 tackles and nine interceptions for Texas A&M. He started the final 34 games of his college career and finished his career 4th on A&M's all-time passes defended list.
NFL
Mickens was drafted in the third-round by the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
. He played for the Jets from 1996 to 2004. Mickens only sat out two games in his first eight NFL seasons before missing the 2004 season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
because of a torn ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. He built a reputation as one of the top nickel backs in the NFL and also a very capable starter. He played in 126 games with 36 starts over the course of his first eight seasons while registering 365 tackles, 79 passes defended, 11 INT, four forced fumbles and six sacks. Mickens was released by the Jets when they acquired Ty Law
Ty Law
Tajuan "Ty" Law is a retired football cornerback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 23rd overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
, after he commented to a reporter that the signing of Law would be great for the organization. He signed a one year contract with the Browns as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
prior to the 2005 season and played in all 16 games, starting three, and recording 33 tackles and 16 passes defended.
Mickens signed with the Jets once again on May 31, 2006, but was eventually waived when rosters were reduced to the 53 men following the last pre-season game. He was signed by the New England Patriots in December 2006 and was a prominent player in the their run to the division championship game. He filed for free agency on March 3, 2007. Ray Mickens doesn't only have a famous brother. He has a cousin David Mickens who coaches a women's professional football league. Dave Mickens has led the (Socal Scorpions) to their first Super bowl in 2007 which made history in San Diego.
Mickens also won the 1999 Madden Bowl.
External links
- http://www.raymickens.com
- http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/3953
- http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=32392