LSU CB hails Brian Kelly's 5-star plus enrollee DJ Pickett after watching him play

Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers had a decent 2024 season, but their defense cost them several games. The Tigers looked particularly susceptible against pass-savvy teams that targeted their cornerbacks.

So, Brian Kelly and the Tigers made moves to stack up on cornerback talent. Two such talents are Virginia Tech transfer Mansoor Delane and five-star high school recruit DJ Pickett.

Pickett has been particularly impressive in spring practice, so much so that fellow newbie Delane is singing his praises.

"Whatever that five-star plus is, that’s true," Delane said, according to On3's The Bengal Tiger. "He’s as good as advertised.”

Such praise is significant considering that Delane will likely be in direct competition with Pickett for a starting cornerback role ahead of the 2025 college football season. Both players are fresh to Brian Kelly's system and will look to stake their claim for one of the two starting cornerback spots.

The Tigers glaringly lacked game-changing cornerbacks in the 2024 college football season. While the cornerbacks tackled decently, they had only one interception during the regular season. So, Brian Kelly needed to get cornerbacks adept at snagging the ball out of the air before it reaches the hands of opposing wide receivers, tight ends or dual-threat running backs.

What will DJ Pickett add to LSU?

DJ Pickett is the crown jewel of LSU’s 2025 signing class. The Zephyrhills (Florida) High School product is 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, plus he's armed with remarkable talent at his youthful age.

Pickett entered LSU as a consensus five-star prospect who was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 cornerback by Rivals and On3. Furthermore, he was listed as the country's No. 10 overall prospect, according to On3 Sports' composite rankings.

DJ Pickett is a phenomenal ball hawk with speed, great hands and underrated physicality. He was a two-way star during his high school days which could potentially give him a secondary role with the Tigers in the 2025 season.

Pickett will add speed, poise and youthfulness to the LSU secondary. He has all the tools needed to be an elite shutdown cornerback for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, the Tigers will focus on spring practice and figure out their starting rosters for the 2025 season. It's going to be a make-or-mar year for Brian Kelly and his coaching staff.