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Former Notre Dame cornerback Jaden Mickey signs with Boise State out of transfer portal

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•02/20/25•

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Jaden Mickey
Former Notre Dame cornerback Jaden Mickey. (Mike Miller/Blue & Gold)

It’s commonplace for programs to welcome back former players for a game in the transfer portal era. It happened last year when former Notre Dame running back/wide receiver Chris Tyree played against the Fighting Irish in South Bend as a member of the Virginia Cavaliers.

It’s happening again in 2025.

Former Notre Dame cornerback Jaden Mickey will go against the Irish as a Boise State Bronco. After initially committing to Cal, Mickey backed out of that pledge in late December and spent the last two months looking for somewhere else to call home. He landed in Idaho, and on Oct. 4 he’ll make his return trip to Northern Indiana for a matchup with his friends from Notre Dame.

Mickey entered the transfer portal in late September of last year after appearing in the Irish’s first four games of the season. Following that fourth game, head coach Marcus Freeman said in his subsequent press conference that Mickey had chosen to remove himself from the team with the intent of entering the portal at the end of the season. By only playing in four games, he retained a year of eligibility. He has two more of those to spend at Boise State or another school if he wishes to transfer a second time.

Mickey was a clear No. 3 in the cornerback room at the start of the 2024 season. He was behind Benjamin Morrison and Christian Gray, the Irish’s September starters. Morrison got hurt with a season-ending hip injury in October, though, which likely would have opened up an avenue for Mickey to start with Gray. Instead, true freshman Leonard Moore slid into that spot and held on to it for the remainder of the season. Like Morrison did in 2022, Moore turned himself into a freshman All-American.

Mickey played a lot with Morrison in that 2022 season, but it was always evident Morrison was the one who had the talent to leave Notre Dame after three seasons and be a big-name NFL Draft prospect like he is in this year’s class. Mickey, meanwhile, obviously read that writing on the wall and is trying to make a name for himself with a new beginning.

Mickey had 20 total tackles in 24 career games at Notre Dame. He returned his lone interception for a touchdown in a 2023 Irish victory over Pitt. Always a bit of a fan favorite until his transfer, Mickey suited up and played in the Sun Bowl in the immediate aftermath of his mom passing away from colon cancer in December 2023.

Mickey stayed enrolled at Notre Dame during the fall 2024 semester and was even seen in the student section cheering on his former teammates in their win over Louisville on Sept. 28. That was the Irish’s first game since Mickey’s decision to sit out and look for someplace else to play.

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