No. 1 Cornerback in America, LSU Football Signee DJ Pickett Practicing With Tigers

Pickett will participate in the Tigers' bowl practices, getting acclimated to college regimen.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff signed the No. 1 cornerback in America after five-star prospect DJ Pickett put pen to paper with the program in early December.

Pickett, the Tigers' top-ranked signee in the 2025 Recruiting Class, chose LSU over Miami, Oregon and Georgia during his recruitment process.

It was a battle down the stretch in order to secure the coveted prospect. A player with the top programs in the country battling for his services, LSU proved they were willing to do anything in their power to lock him down and get him to campus.

Kelly has raved about the youngster and what he's set to provide the program moving forward. He projects as a player that will make an instant impact for the Tigers.

"Watching a guy on film move that way (with his height) was what really surprised me about him," Kelly said on National Signing Day. "I don't even know if it's an argument. We believe he's hands-down the best corner in the country.

"I don't know that I've ever felt that there is a lockdown corner, but he's about as close as there is to a lockdown corner in the country. And his offensive film might be as good, if not better."

Now, 6-foot-4, 180-pound defensive back has arrived in Baton Rouge after making his way to campus as an early-enrollee last weekend.

Pickett took the field with the Tigers for the first time on Monday where he's participating in bowl preparation with the program.

Pickett will be a full participant during Texas Bowl practice leading up to next week's game.

#LSU signed the No. 1 CB in America in early December: DJ Pickett.

Now, the top-ranked defensive back in the country has already made his way to Baton Rouge to practice with the program.

Pickett is moved in and going through bowl preparation with LSU.pic.twitter.com/7q5zQshmaY

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) December 23, 2024

Though Pickett can practice with the team and get accustomed to a college regime, he will be unable to play in LSU's Dec. 31 Texas Bowl showdown against the Baylor Bears. Early-enrollees are ineligible for bowl games with their current squads.

It's no secret Pickett is one of the big fish in the program's 2025 Recruiting Class. He's a unicorn of a defensive back with the program raving about what he can provide moving forward.

He's a long, lanky piece of the secondary that thrives with his versatility. Pickett can play both the cornerback and safety roles where Kelly is eager to get him in the mix.

Moving forward, Pickett's development both on and off the field will be critical.

The first offseason will treat him well in the weight room where he will look to add weight to his frame, but on the field will be where he's side-by-side with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond.

Corey Raymond’s rebuild of “DBU” is in full swing this offseason.

The Newcomers:
- DJ Pickett: No. 1 CB in America
- Aidan Anding: No. 1 CB in Louisiana
- Mansoor Delane: No. 2 CB in Portal
- Ja’Keem Jackson: No. 8 CB in Portal

Now, Pickett has arrived.

(🎥: @LSUfootball) pic.twitter.com/sRHB94AVQg

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) December 23, 2024

The two have already been shown working together during Pickett's first bowl practice with the program on Monday morning.

Now, it's about utilizing the offseason and preparing to be an instant impact player for the 2025 season.

Pickett is one of two cornerbacks LSU signed in the current recruiting class. He will be joined by the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana, Aidan Anding.

Anding put pen to paper with the program in early December as well during the Early Signing Period.

It'll be a new-look cornerback rotation for the Tigers next fall. With both Pickett and Anding in the mix, they won't be the only newcomers.

Raymond and Co. will also bring in transfers Mansoor Delane, the No. 2 cornerback in the portal, along with former Florida stud Ja'Keem Jackson.

LSU's talent in the cornerback room will be a piece to monitor with the handful of newcomers joining returning pieces Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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