Five-star LSU CB commit DJ Pickett updates his recruitment status via latest IG story

By Maliha

Modified Oct 29, 2024 13:10 GMT

Five-star cornerback DJ Pickett from Zephyrhills High School in Florida chose LSU in July over Oregon and Miami. However, that hasn't stopped other college programs from reaching out to him for a potential flip.

Despite the external pressure, Pickett has remained loyal to his commitment to LSU. On Sunday, he posted a countdown on his Instagram story, marking the days until he leaves Florida for Louisiana. This is not an absolute guarantee, but it’s a positive indicator of his current recruitment status with Brian Kelly's program.

DJ Pickett's commitment is a huge victory for LSU's secondary, as Kelly has been working hard to restore the school's reputation as "DBU" (Defensive Back University). Defensive backs coach Corey Raymond returned to LSU intending to rebuild the program’s once dominant secondary.

Pickett has expressed admiration for Raymond, even saying that if a player is a defensive back and Raymond is at LSU, it’s the "right place to be."

The Tigers' secondary has seen a talent dip in recent years, and bringing in a player of Pickett’s caliber could help revitalize their defense. Beyond Pickett, LSU has already landed commitments from other promising defensive backs, including Kade Phillips, Aidan Anding and Jacob Bradford.

Kelly and Raymond plan to get DJ Pickett on the LSU campus for the Alabama game on Nov. 9. A potential win against the Crimson Tide would help the Tigers strengthen Pickett's pledge.

Why is Miami considered a threat to flip DJ Pickett?

DJ Pickett has family connections to the Miami Hurricanes, with his cousin, Booker Pickett Jr., currently playing for the school. The program strengthened this connection when he attended two of its recent games.

Pickett's first visit was Miami's season opener against Florida on Aug. 31, where the Hurricanes made a strong impression with a 41-17 victory, and he was able to witness his cousin’s first college game. Pickett was also in attendance at Miami’s next game against Florida A&M on Sept. 7, where the Hurricanes won 56-9, and his cousin recorded his first tackle.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has reportedly been unrelenting in his pursuit of Pickett. On3's Steve Wiltfong has noted that Cristobal’s commitment to keeping Pickett in Miami’s recruiting fold has been notable, and the effort is expected to increase as the early signing period approaches.

DJ Pickett was expected to visit Miami last weekend, but he didn’t make the trip. Izubee Charles from CaneSport said the school is also working to bring him back to visit this season for the upcoming game against Duke on Saturday.