LSU Football Signs the No. 1 Cornerback in America DJ Pickett

Corey Raymond locks in his prized prospect during the Early Signing Period, five-star gem headed to Baton Rouge.

Courtesy of DJ Pickett's Instagram.

The paperwork is in. Zephyrhills (Fla.) five-star cornerback DJ Pickett has officially signed with Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers during the Early Signing Period, he announced via social media on Wednesday.

Pickett, the No. 1 cornerback in America, stays true to his LSU commitment after revealing a pledge to the program in July.

It's a monumental signing for Corey Raymond and the LSU defensive staff after holding on down the stretch. Pickett received significant interest, along with NIL packages, from Oregon, Georgia and Miami, among several others.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder out of the Sunshine State provides LSU with an elite-level talent to help rebuild the "DBU" tradition in Baton Rouge.

What do the experts believe Pickett can bring the program? On3 Sports Director of Recruiting weighs in:

"DJ Pickett projects being recruited as a corner, and he’s a unique prospect at that position. He’s very tall, north of 6’3 and probably closer to 6’4. He’s long and rangy and has elite length and has high-end athleticism and ball skills to go with that. His wingspan is 6’11 and runs a 10.6 in the 100 meters, so at a traits-based position, he registers as an elite prospect in that regard.

“When you see how he plays on Friday nights, it’s even more encouraging with more than 1,000 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns and also plays safety for his high school. He’s not afraid to be a physical run defender, and compared to the other cornerbacks in this class, he’s both the most physically gifted and the most physical. That’s a really encouraging combination, and while he still needs to convert to corner from a technical standpoint, we don’t have any concerns about that because of his movement skills and athleticism.”

The rebuild of "DBU" in Baton Rouge will start with Pickett, but the key pieces the program has assembled will make all the difference.

Along with Pickett, LSU went out and signed the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana: Aidan Anding.

LSU Keeps the Top-Ranked CB Home:

Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff have signed the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana, Aidan Anding, with the Bayou State star putting pen to paper on Wednesday.

The Ruston (La.) defensive back announced a commitment to Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers in late August with Anding making the decision to stay home for college.

Anding, a player the LSU staff made a heavy push for over the summer, is now in the midst of a monstrous senior campaign for Ruston High.

He entered the season as a Top 5 cornerback in The Boot, but after an impressive final season of prep ball, Anding has now boosted his status to the No. 1 cornerback in Louisiana.

The 6-foot-, 170-pounder has flown up the recruiting rankings with Corey Raymond and Co. striking gold on the trail once again.

“Really, it’s the in-state school, but me, I wasn’t much of a football player (growing up),” Anding told On3. “I was a basketball player, but I didn’t really watch basketball that much. I had nothing in my mind about football. But, after hearing (about LSU) and seeing stuff about it, it’s a good program, for one, and it’s the in-state school with a lot of fans and love shown to that program.”

Anding was trending towards the Texas Longhorns in July, but after receiving a call from recruiting guru Frank Wilson and the Tigers, his interest quickly shifted towards LSU.

Then, less than two months later, Anding went public with a decision to remain home and suit up for the LSU Tigers.

Now, with the Early Signing Period arriving, Anding has shut things down and has put pen to paper with the LSU Tigers after a dominant prep career.

Kelly and Co. have recruiting Louisiana with force this cycle with the program also securing the services of the top-ranked running back in The Boot, Harlem Berry.

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