Football <\/p>\n
Spring football in Baton Rouge probably would\u2019ve wrapped up Day 14 or 15 by now. Brian Kelly<\/strong>\u2019s LSU Tigers are knee-deep in building what they hope is the SEC\u2019s most battle-ready roster. With Garrett Nussmeier<\/strong> expected to take over the reins at prime passer. The offensive identity is shifting slightly, but LSU\u2019s real juice this offseason might be coming from the other side of the ball. Chemistry is brewing across both units, and while Nussmeier\u2019s arm talent remains the story on offense. It\u2019s his $634,000 NIL-valued skyscraper of a cornerback, turning heads with his rare mix of length and speed.<\/p>\n The defensive backfield, a room that\u2019s long been the pride of LSU\u2019s identity, is undergoing a full-blown renovation. Led by veteran DB whisperer Corey Raymond. Since returning to the Tigers, Raymond has been busy retooling a unit that\u2019s been in desperate need of that old-school \u201cDBU\u201d swagger. The Tigers have brought in high-ceiling talent through both the portal and the 2025 signing class. With two notable signees in Mansoor Delane and Ja\u2019Keem Jackson already flashing upside. But the crown jewel? A 6-foot-4 CB with improved muscle mass, and enough raw speed to press and recover on command. That name\u2014DJ Pickett<\/strong>. A five-star freak who came in with a spotlight and hasn\u2019t flinched under it.<\/p>\n LSU insider Bryce Koon didn\u2019t hold back when discussing Pickett\u2019s early impact. \u201cBiggest storyline heading into LSU spring game this weekend is the development and impact of true freshman cornerback DJ Pickett,\u201d<\/em> he said on 247Sports\u2019<\/em> show<\/a>. \u201cWhy is that? Well, two reasons. Physically, he has looked the part.\u201d <\/em>Koon noted the corner\u2019s gains in weight and strength, now hovering between 180 and 190 pounds while maintaining elite agility in his towering frame.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pickett has, reportedly, been consistently competitive in drills\u2014holding his own against veteran receivers, many of whom arrived in Baton Rouge via the portal themselves. \u201cHe has made play after play, rarely getting beat,\u201d<\/em> Koon added, emphasizing the true freshman\u2019s physicality and IQ. With LSU opening against Clemson. Whispers about Pickett potentially starting in that Week 1 heavyweight clash are growing louder by the day. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the reason they wanted to get Pickett into the fold,\u201d<\/em> Koon said. \u201cAnd with a need at cornerback, Pickett could use this game to launch himself into the conversation of starting that first game against Clemson.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n #LSU<\/a> signed the No. 1 cornerback in America last December: DJ Pickett.<\/p>\n Now, the early-enrollee is quickly making noise in Baton Rouge during Spring Camp.<\/p>\n Pickett has pieced together a strong start with multiple big days through five practices.<\/p>\n (????: @LSUfootball<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/WJemlJICxZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Zack Nagy (@znagy20) March 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s not just about Pickett\u2019s tools\u2014it\u2019s about timing. With the SEC evolving and LSU poised to break through after a few near-misses. Brian Kelly doesn\u2019t just need bodies\u2014he needs difference-makers. The bigger picture? Painting LSU as a playoff-caliber squad with one giant caveat: the need for perfection. \u201cIf they take an L game one, I don\u2019t know if they get over,\u201d<\/em> another 247Sports analyst said. \u201cNow you gotta be perfect, right?\u201d<\/em> The Tigers\u2019 margin for error, even in the expanded College Football Playoff, is razor thin.<\/p>\n LSU\u2019s situation to last year\u2019s Tennessee squad\u2014dynamic, dangerous, but vulnerable without a conference crown. \u201cDo I think they\u2019re going to win the SEC Championship? Probably not,\u201d<\/em> he admitted. \u201cDo I think they can be 10-2, one of those teams in? That\u2019s kind of where I am.\u201d <\/em>That philosophy mirrors what Kelly himself has hinted at since arriving in Baton Rouge. Playoff berths don\u2019t require conference titles anymore, just timing and health. \u201cI don\u2019t want to go to that game if I\u2019m Brian Kelly,\u201d<\/em> they joked. \u201cI just want to get into the playoff healthy with my team ready to go, and that\u2019s all I need.\u201d<\/em> It\u2019s a calculated mindset in a chaotic sport.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Tigers need a lockdown guy who can erase half the field. And the whispers coming out of camp suggest they might already have him<\/a>. His DCs have already called him \u201cas good as advertised,\u201d and his mix of length, footwork, and football instincts is making life hell for even the most experienced wideouts.<\/p>\n LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker<\/strong> didn\u2019t hold back after Day 10\u2019s session on Thursday when talking about the Tigers\u2019 revamped cornerback room. With a few new faces in town, he\u2019s already liking what he\u2019s seeing. \u201cI think when you talk about those three guys [Mansoor Delane, Ja\u2019Keem Jackson and DJ Pickett] in particular, they\u2019ve been as good as we were hoping they were going to be,\u201d<\/em> Baker said. \u201cWe\u2019re on day nine, ten, I don\u2019t even know what day we\u2019re in. But my point is those guys, from being able to pick up the scheme from an athleticism standpoint\u2026\u201d<\/em> \u2014 yeah, the juice is real.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Football LSU cornerback room is on the rise<\/h2>\n