The Latest on the No. 1 Cornerback in America, LSU Football Commit DJ Pickett

The five-star LSU pledge remaining loyal to the Bayou Bengals down the stretch, LSU hoping to hold on.

Courtesy of DJ Pickett's Instagram.

Zephyrhills (Fla.) five-star cornerback DJ Pickett announced a commitment to the LSU Tigers in July after a rigorous recruiting battle between a number of the top programs in the country.

Pickett, the top-ranked defensive back in America, chose the Tigers over the likes of Miami, Oregon and Georgia.

Now, with the Early Signing Period inching closer, Pickett's finalists remain in his ear down the stretch, but LSU's confidence hasn't wavered.

“It’s about my son being happy, my son being comfortable and my son getting on the field earlier and we feel that spot is LSU,” Pickett's father Damien told On3 Sports' Steve Wiltfong.

Fast forward to last weekend and Pickett went back on the road to check out another SEC program: The Georgia Bulldogs.

The five-star cornerback made the drive to Athens for the Bulldogs' prime time matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers where Georgia ultimately pulled off the victory.

It's a school that has certainly peaked Pickett's interest after enjoying the atmosphere in Sanford Stadium, and with less than two weeks until the Early Signing Period, LSU is hoping to hold on for his services.

Following the news of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines, programs knew LSU was in a vulnerable place.

This weekend, many assumed Pickett would hit the road and continue evaluating his options. That was not the case.

Pickett did not visit any other programs, On3 Sprts Shea Dixon reported.

He will be back in Baton Rouge for the LSU versus Oklahoma matchup next weekend for the Tigers' regular season finale.

LSU will look to hold on down the stretch for Pickett, but he's staying strong to his commitment to this point.

Pickett wrapped up his senior campaign over the weekend with the two-way star making a name for himself in the Sunshine State record books.

"I'm the leading all-time receiver for our county (Pasco), so I'm proud of that," Pickett told Rivals. "I want people to remember what I do off the field. But on the field, how I took pride at playing at my school."

Confident in LSU:

"There's bumps and bruises right now, but we're staying strong," Pickett said of the Tigers. "I'll be going to LSU next week against Oklahoma."

"I play both sides, I make plays on defense and make plays on offense," he said. "I'm definitely playing corner, but LSU might use me a little bit on offense."

Why LSU? The Corey Raymond Effect...

Pickett was loud and clear about what led him to Baton Rouge. The five-star circled LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond as the key piece in why he ultimately selected the Tigers over both the Oregon Ducks and Miami Hurricanes with the architect of "DBU" doing it again on the recruiting trail.

“I wish [Oregon and Miami] the best, but I’m at LSU now,” Pickett said after announcing his decision in July. “If you are a DB, and Coach Raymond is at LSU, I feel that’s the right place to be at. That tells you everything right there.”

It was simple. Once Raymond was hired by Kelly and placed back on the LSU staff, Pickett's attention shifted to Baton Rouge.

He believed in the vision Raymond had in place for him whether it was at Florida or LSU.

Raymond and the Florida Gators parted ways following the 2023 season prior to LSU bringing him back to The Boot in January of 2024.

Once he was back on staff, Raymond put the full-court press on Pickett, a decision that paid dividends in the long run.

"Just the Corey Raymond factor. And it’s Defensive Back U. DBU. That’s a big factor for LSU.," Pickett's father told On3 Sports. "The fact they have developed so many DBs. Coach Raymond developed so many DBs at the school. The recruiting is in the pudding. There are so many greats that played at LSU. I’d say history as far as LSU.”

It'll be a battle until the buzzer for LSU when it comes to securing his signature in December, but the Tigers have proven they've arrived in the new-age recruiting after adding Pickett to the 2025 class.

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