Notre Dame cornerback Jaden Mickey nominated for AFCA Good Works Team
Notre Dame sophomore cornerback Jaden Mickey is an Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team nominee, the football program announced Tuesday.
The AFCA’s criteria for a nominee includes “significant on and off-the-field contributions to his team,” “outstanding character and dedication in the classroom that makes them candidates for graduation” and “commitment to volunteerism by donating time and energy to serve others.”
It also stipulates that nominees should be incoming juniors or seniors, but it carves out room for exceptions, like Mickey.
“Most importantly, candidates should be actively involved with charitable organizations, service groups and/or exhibit extraordinary devotion to a personal cause in their lives,” the AFCA wrote May 3. “They should display sincere concern, reliability and make a favorable impact on the organization or activity in which they are involved.”
Mickey earned a nomination in large part by writing a book for young athletes. “The Win Isn’t Always On The Scoreboard,” Mickey tweeted when the book released March 6, is a book for sixth through ninth-graders that “maneuvers through the ups and downs in the life of a middle school athlete.”
All proceeds from Mickey’s book go to the Stage 4 colon cancer treatment of his mom, Nilka.
“The Win Isn’t Always On The Scoreboard,” Mickey’s website says, is about J, an eighth grader and star athlete whose family is forced to move to a different city and a different school. In the book, J learns lessons about teamwork and commitment.
The second-year cornerback from Corona (Calif.) Centennial has traveled to support his new book. He also hosted a football camp, according to Notre Dame, that served more than 80 kids.
“Mickey supports the project with book signings all over the country, while making visits to youth organizations and classrooms to discuss his book and the importance of his message,” the football program said in a press release.
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Mickey was the No. 185 player and No. 22 corner in the class of 2022. On3 itself was higher on Mickey, placing him at No. 148 and No. 17, respectively.
Mickey saw plenty of action during his true freshman year, playing in 11 games and starting one (Nov. 26 at USC). He finished the season with nine tackles in 248 snaps.
The Irish, with Mickey likely to play a key reserve role in the secondary, open their season against Navy at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 in Dublin, Ireland.
