Washington Huskies 2012 Evaluations: WR Jaydon Mickens

Oct 13, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Jaydon Mickens (4) carries the ball during the game against the USC Trojans at CenturyLink Field. Southern California defeated Washington 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Statistics: 20 receptions for 190 yards and 1 touchdown. 3 rushes for 26 yards and 0 touchdowns.

What He Did In 2012: Mickens was regarded mostly as a four-star wide receiver prospect, and seemed perfect for the slot given his speed and 5’9″ body. Still, for all but the most hyper-talented players, the true freshman year isn’t going to be all that productive, and Mickens was no exception. He was on the field a lot, but simply didn’t seem to get open a lot. He also seemed to struggle with drops, though it’s tough to tell when a guy isn’t having the ball thrown his way very often.

What I Expect Of Him In 2013: While it would have been great for Washington if Mickens had been more productive as a true freshman, there is no reason to believe he won’t improve with each year. I would still be cautious with your expectations for Mickens in ’13, simply because it’s so tough to predict how much of a jump forward a young player will make in a single offseason, especially at the wide receiver position. Throw in the trio of four-star wide receivers coming in as part of the ’13 class, including Mickens-esque John Ross (5’10”), and the future gets even tougher to project for Mickens.