Oregon Football Chance To Steal 5-Star Safety DJ Pickett From LSU Tigers, Miami?

Oregon football recruiting is in the running for another five-star prospect. DJ Pickett, a 5-Star safety prospect choosing between Oregon, LSU and Miami.

Oregon Ducks 5-star safety prospect DJ Pickett will make his commitment between Oregon, Miami Hurricanes and LSU Tigers. / DJ Pickett Twitter/X

Oregon Ducks football's 5-star safety prospect DJ Pickett announces his college decision today at 4pm PT between Oregon, the LSU Tigers and the Miami Hurricanes (led by former Oregon coach Mario Cristobal.)

The Ducks are making a late-push for Pickett's commitment to join their surging 2025 recruiting class.

The 6-foot-4, 170-pound prospect out of Zephyrhills (Fla.) High School, the No. 6 overall player in the 2025 class, the No. 2 rated safety and the top prospect out of Florida.

Oregon Ducks 5-star safety prospect DJ Pickett will make his commitment between Oregon, Miami Hurricanes and LSU Tigers. / DJ Pickett Twitter/X

Will Pickett choose his in-state option, Miami and coach Cristobal? Pickett’s cousin Booker Pickett, Jr. is already enrolled at the University of Miami.

Both 247 Sports and On3 are predicting Pickett to chose the Ducks over the Hurricanes and the Tigers.

"(DJ) wants to play in big games - meaningful, big games," said Pickett's father to On3. "We are talking National Championship games. Even every day games, he wants them to be meaningful. He wants to guard the best players - He wants to guard the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the NFL Draft. He wants a college atmosphere and he wants to get on the football field."

Pickett would be a huge boost to Oregon's secondary, which already has commitments from 4-star cornerback Dorian Brew and 4-star athlete Brandon Finney. Pickett looks to join wide receiver Dakorien Moore, Oregon's highest-rated recruit ever, as the two 5-stars in Oregon's 2025 recruiting class.

Pickett separates himself as one of the tallest safeties in recent high school recruiting classes with a massive 6-foot-8 wingspan. Pickett also competes in track and field. The combination of Pickett's frame and speed make him a unique college prospect, catching attention from NFL scouts.

Professional football is in Pickett's blood. Pickett's uncle Ryan Pickett played at Ohio State from 1998-2000 and was a first round NFL Draft pick in 2001 by the St. Louis Rams. Ryan Pickett won Super Bowl XLV with the Green Bay Packers.

Oregon co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Chris Hampton has been recruiting Pickett. Hampton is one of college football's top up-and-coming defensive coaches. He helped the Ducks sign All-American safety Aaron Flowers and Kansas State safety Kobe Savage.

"He has a terrific work ethic, and his ability to build relationships will help our student-athletes thrive both on the football field and as men," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said about Hampton.

Keep an eye out for Lanning's duck emoji on his Twitter/X - How he signals Oregon landed a recruit.

The exciting recruiting news continues this week as 5-star safety Trey McNutt's commitment announcement is on Friday, July 19.

The Duck defense was one of the most-improved units in the nation last season. A top-10 defense in 2023, the Ducks’ will now face some of the most notoriously-tough teams in their inaugural season in the Big Ten conference. Adding talent like Pickett will help the Ducks continue their defensive improvements.

Lanning's prowess on the recruiting trail is only intensifying after the Ducks' 2025 class skyrocketed to top-5 in the country. After commits from Moore and Brew, the Ducks trail only theOhio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs in national class rankings.