Southlake Style / BluDoor Studios
Two former Carroll standouts are officially NFL rookies.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers of the Miami Dolphins and safety R.J. Mickens of the Los Angeles Chargers both survived roster cuts this week, capping off impressive preseasons that confirmed their places at the next level.
Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas, entered training camp as a long shot but steadily won over the Dolphins’ staff. After a rocky debut (5-for-18 passing), he rebounded with sharp performances: 11-for-17 for 116 yards against Detroit, followed by a 7-for-8, 66-yard outing versus Jacksonville. In total, he threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll begin the season as the Dolphins’ third quarterback behind Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson.
Mickens, drafted in the sixth round out of Clemson, made his mark in the Chargers’ secondary and on special teams. In preseason action, Mickens logged multiple pass breakups and was active around the ball, solidifying his spot as a depth piece behind Derwin James while carving out an early role on special teams.
In college, Ewers threw for more than 7,000 yards and 49 touchdowns across three seasons at Texas after beginning his career at Ohio State, highlighted by a Big 12 title and multiple bowl wins. Mickens, a four-year contributor and senior captain at Clemson, finished with 155 tackles, 5 interceptions and 12 pass breakups, earning a reputation as one of the ACC’s most reliable and versatile defensive backs.
At Carroll, Ewers was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class according to 247Sports, hailed as one of the top quarterback prospects of the past decade. Mickens was a consensus four-star safety in the 2020 class, ranked among the nation’s top 10 at his position and courted by powerhouse programs before committing to Clemson.