Major LSU football defensive recruiting target earns five-star rating

We’re at the point in the college football offseason when focus has completely shifted from one recruiting cycle to the next. This year, the class of 2025 is on deck, and with On3’s latest rankings update, major LSU defensive recruiting target DJ Pickett has officially earned his well-deserved five-star rating.

Elite LSU defensive recruiting target DJ Pickett earns five-star rating

A five-star rating is hard to come by in general, but this is especially true early on in each cycle. As things stand, On3 has released just eight five-star ratings, while 247Sports has been even more stingy, sitting at six.

Notably, despite the small total, LSU hasn’t exactly struggled to find their way onto the list early on. The Tigers already have two five-star recruits committed, with No. 1 quarterback Bryce Underwood and No. 1 wide receiver Dakorien Moore.

Now, it appears that the Tiger program could be approaching a potential third in the near future.

Since visiting Baton Rouge in late-January, coach Brian Kelly’s squad has been trending in a very positive direction for elite defensive back DJ Pickett. Having already been ranked as a top-10 recruit nationally for quite some time, this has always been a big-time recruitment, but with his recent five-star update, it almost feels even bigger.

🚨NEW🚨 CB DJ Pickett ranks No. 4 in the updated 2025 On300.https://t.co/Tc0X6rhMXH pic.twitter.com/AjrLAV2SoK

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 26, 2024

Notably, with the rankings update, On3 also elected to switch his listed position from safety to cornerback. Interestingly enough, he possesses the kind of talent where this didn’t hurt his standing even slightly. Instead, he simply moved up, making the switch from being listed as the No. 1 safety to now having claim to the No. 1 cornerback and No. 4 slot nationally in the class of 2025.

Standing at 6-foot-3, 170 pounds, he has the flexibility to potentially do either at the next level. Still, with his combination of height, physicality and ability to cover one-on-one, he could be electric on the outside.

Another visit on the horizon

When Pickett, a product out of Zephyrhills, FL, elected to take a trip over to Baton Rouge in January, it felt like a possible turning point for coach Brian Kelly and his staff in this recruitment. As it turns out, that may have been exactly correct.

Since the visit, he’s updated his list of top-five to include the Tigers and already has plans for an official visit in May.

Yesterday, the newly minted five-star cornerback announced four upcoming spring visits, which will get started with a trip to the Boot on May 31. He also included visits to Georgia (June 7), Miami (June 14) and Oregon (June 21).

With a top-five of Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Oregon, Pickett is expected to take an official with the Wolverines as well, but just hasn’t scheduled one yet.

While some recruits like to get their recruitment out of the way, it seems as though the talented class of 2025 defensive back will take his time before making a final decision. In the meantime, though, the purple and gold are in very good standing and are expected to keep their foot on the gas up to the very end.

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