Jaden Mickey: Making the Most of Opportunity
The redshirt junior is in his first year, but his calculated mindset has helped him have an early impact
Chris Kutz
After Jaden Mickey entered the transfer portal during the 2024 season, a familiar name popped up on his phone as an incoming call.
Spencer Danielson.
Only one slight update was needed, though. Danielson’s contact information in Mickey’s phone still said “Boise State defensive coordinator.” The now head coach, who is in his ninth season as a coach with Boise State but second full season as the head coach, had not spoken to Mickey since his junior year in high school.
“I still always laugh at (the outdated contact for Danielson),” said Mickey.
Between the fall of 2020 - what was supposed to be Mickey’s junior year of high school football - and the fall of 2024, plenty more changed for Mickey as well.
He enrolled early at Notre Dame as a 17-year-old in January 2022, played in 28 career games for the Fighting Irish, and earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in three-and-a-half years.
Mickey, a product of Eastvale, Calif. in southern California, also suffered heartbreak during this time. His mom, Nilka, passed away on Dec. 28, 2023 after a four-year battle with cancer. Only hours after she passed, Mickey started for Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl, where the Fighting Irish beat Oregon State, 40-8.
Mickey continued to be a part of the Notre Dame football program during spring practice of 2024 and started the season with the team, but after four games, he entered the portal.
A former four-star recruit out of high school who had played nearly 800 collegiate snaps over three seasons, Mickey had plenty of suitors when he was in the portal. He used the 2024 campaign to field calls and take visits to evaluate his next opportunity.
Mickey visited Boise State during the Nevada game, watching the Broncos continue their historic season with a 28-21 win in early November.
“It was cool, everybody wanted to see Ashton Jeanty last year,” said Mickey about his fall visit to Boise State. “So being able to see that firsthand was always cool. And then seeing The Blue for the first time, just picturing myself out there, picturing myself with the team, that was amazing.”
In addition to seeing himself on the field in blue uniforms on The Blue, it was Bronco Nation that also stood out.
“That’s one thing that I say is different about Boise State, sold out crowds at home, and The Blue is always going to be like a party,” said Mickey. “The light shows, the songs, the music, all types of things. So I was definitely surprised by the loud noise, as well as the atmosphere of just coming to a Boise State game.”
Current Boise State cornerbacks coach Demario Warren was the first Boise State coach to connect with Mickey. Mickey was in bible study at Notre Dame when the first contact was made. A couple days later, the familiar name of Danielson - head coach, not defensive coordinator this time - spoke with Mickey and got to know him as a player and what he was looking for in his next opportunity at the collegiate level. That was followed up by a conversation with Boise State general manager, Brandon Jones.
“Definitely the culture of the program,” said Mickey on what stood out during the recruitment process. “The way we go about ourselves, the integrity of the program. Talking to ‘B Jones,’ he was big in the recruiting process as well. It was echoing the culture of the program and who they were looking for and what I was looking for. It just matched.”
Boise State was not Mickey’s first choice, though. He committed to Cal in late December, only three days prior to the Broncos playing in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl. Only six weeks later, Mickey decommitted from the Bears and signed with the Blue and Orange.
Since joining Boise State in the summer of 2025, Mickey has made sure to assimilate with his new team and coaches. He was intentional about going about it the right way in terms of fitting into the program, and grew close with other summer enrollees, including transfer Derek Ganter, Jr. and freshman Dominik Calhoun.
“The toughest thing is trying not to step on anybody's toes,” said Mickey about the transition as a transfer. “A lot of people have been here for a long time. You don't want to come in, be arrogant. You want to remain humble in your approach. And it's crazy, because essentially, you're trying to take your brother's job. That's a tough thing, and especially when you're new, you're not really in the Brotherhood yet. They don't know you, they don't love you yet. But as time goes, I think just approaching it from a humble standpoint, just being respectful about who goes in and taking it as it goes, and then when your time comes, your time comes.”
After only playing one snap on defense in the season opener at South Florida, Mickey’s time as a Bronco arrived in the home opener against Eastern Washington. He had an immediate impact with an early forced fumble and recovery. He finished with seven tackles, including a tackle for loss, at the nickelback position.
“I’m really proud of how Jaden Mickey played game two,” said Danielson. “With his urgency, his consistency - there’s a couple things we got to clean up … but I like his mentality. I like how he comes to work every day. I like how he preps. Very, very smart football player. He understands defensive play, he understands adjustments, and he understands leverage.”
As a coach’s son, Mickey always seeks to have an inside edge on his opponent - and his first breakout game as a Bronco, it showed.
Mickey’s father, Lamar, played cornerback at Weber State. He went on to get his doctorate in education. He’s a social worker with the Riverside County Department of Social Services and assistant high school football coach. He coached Jaden growing up and has had a large impact on him.
One of those impacts is to be measured and calculated on the field. Over time, this approach has grown into using each day of a game week to go through film study. He estimates he watches one to two hours of film each day, which totals to around 10 hours per week.
In addition to the film study, Mickey is somewhat different with his mental preparation. Learned from his former Notre Dame teammate Benjamin Morrison, who was a second round NFL draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past April, Mickey will assign a day with how he should mentally treat his opponents.
“When I was younger, I used to kind of not respect my opponents,” said Mickey. “I was like, ‘Oh, he’s trash.’ And (Morrison) was kind of opposite. He always found the good things. And we always fought back and forth. I'm like, ‘No, he's trash.’ And he's like, ‘No, he's good.’ And what both of us learned throughout our years is a process.”
Mickey works his way backwards. On day five of game week prep, he makes sure he respects his opponents. He trains his mind to think they are really good by understanding their strengths and what they are beating people with in terms of route running and moves. But on day one of game prep, Mickey goes back to thinking they are no better than anyone else. Throughout it all, he gets to know them like the back of his hand, and that he’s ready to go against them.
It all goes back to his psychology major while at Notre Dame. The mental game and what it can unlock has helped Mickey find results. Even if he’s playing chess or Connect 4 with his current Bronco teammates, he is always looking for an advantage to win.
“I feel like I was born this way,” said Mickey. “I'm analyzing everything. So I think it comes from my parents.”
Thanks to Mickey’s prep and process, his role with Boise State has grown. He started the home opener against Eastern Washington and played nearly every snap on defense. The redshirt junior aspires to play in the NFL, but is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational performance and workplace learning. For someone who has experienced plenty of transition and change over the last 22 months, Boise State’s No. 20 has found it important to further develop by being present as a Bronco.
“I'm just being where my feet are,” said Mickey. “I believe it was God's plan to send me here. He wanted me here, and I'm here. So being where my feet are, and continuing the process, enjoying the process, and hopefully I can accomplish everything I want to.”
