Decision Day: The Latest on the No. 1 Cornerback in America DJ Pickett

The nation's top-ranked cornerback, DJ Pickett, is set to come off the board on Wednesday. Where do the Tigers stand?

It's decision day for the No. 1 cornerback in America with Florida native DJ Pickett set to choose between LSU, Oregon and Miami.

Pickett released his three finalists this month with one of the top prospects in the 2025 cycle preparing to go public with a decision.

For Kelly and Co., they've done their due diligence in this one after getting Pickett down South four times this calendar year, including an official visit on the weekend of May 31st.

LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond has had his foot on the gas while pulling out all the stops in pursuit of the immediate impact defensive back, but will it be enough to secure his services down the stretch with a decision looming?

The Decision Day Buzz on Pickett:

The LSU Buzz

Raymond and the Bayou Bengals have all hands on deck for the elite-level corner. We've seen Pickett officially visit LSU with the staff bringing in a surprise guest: Tiger legend Patrick Peterson.

Peterson, a Sunshine State native, took his talents to Louisiana as a coveted prospect with the Tigers now utilizing the resource in his recruitment. A source confirmed to LSU Country that Peterson and Pickett have kept in contact and it's a key piece in LSU's push.

LSU has pitched early playing time, versatility in the defensive backfield and more when it comes to on the field offers, but this one will ultimately come down to NIL packages. What's the latest on the LSU front?

It's simple. The Tigers knew the NIL range that Pickett would be asking for and they remain aware of that. We know Oregon and Miami, the other finalists battling for his services, are heavy hitters on the NIL front. Can the Bayou Bengals remain in the same ballpark?

Pickett's recruitment is one that has the Ducks appearing to separate themselves from the pack in crunch time, but LSU has all hands on deck for the prized cornerback who is at the top of the Tigers' "must haves" in 2025.

The Oregon Surge

The Oregon Ducks are surging on the recruiting trail after landing a pair of five-stars over the last few weeks, including the No. 1 wide receiver in America in Dakorien Moore.

Dan Lanning and the Ducks are moving with force in the NIL space and it showed in their recruitment of Moore.

The relationships Moore built between both Oregon and Texas were evident, but ultimately an impressive NIL package on the Ducks side is what propelled Moore to commit to the program, according to several reports.

Now, they're surging for Pickett's services.

Nike founder Phil Knight is leading the NIL push on Oregon's side and has provided significant resources to the program in that area.

Lanning has proven to be an elite-level recruiter with a program on the rise in Eugene, and now they've begun a major push for the No. 1 cornerback in America.

He's one of the most aggressive head coaches in college football when it comes to utilizing name, image and likeness on the recruiting trail. Now, Lanning will look to use his resources again in Pickett's recruitment in the 11th hour.

Pickett officially visited Oregon over the summer with Lanning and Co. rolling out the red carpet for their top target on the defensive back board. Can they pull off another massive commitment and land Pickett's services?

We've seen On3 Sports recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong log a prediction in favor of the Ducks. A decision is just hours out with more noise heading Oregon's way.

The Miami Push

Pickett has had Miami at the top of his list for months with the Florida native keeping the home state school in high regard.

With family ties in Coral Gables and in the Sunshine State as a whole, the Hurricanes are a program that has been near the top for most of his process over the last 12 months.

With a mix between familiarity with the program, early playing time being offered and impressive NIL packages being thrown at Pickett, the Hurricanes remain a heavy hitter in his recruitment.

Miami has been a program making noise in the NIL space ever since it became a key factor in the college football landscape. Now, they'll look to make their push for Pickett.

It's officially a three-horse race between LSU, Oregon and Miami with Pickett's decision going public in just a few hours. Who will come out on top to secure his services?

Other LSU News:

No. 1 Pitcher in America, LSU Signee William Schmidt Bypassing 2024 MLB Draft

LSU Baseball Lands First-Round Talent via NCAA Transfer Portal

LSU Football Trending for Pair of Prized Defensive Backs

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Country: @LSUCountry_FN for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.