LSU Football Cornerback, Florida Native Has Blake Baker's Attention in Fall Camp

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 4:32 PM ET

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers signed five-star cornerback DJ Pickett in December after the Florida native put pen to paper with the program.

Pickett, the top-ranked cornerback in the 2025 Recruiting Cycle, signed with the Bayou Bengals over the Miami Hurricanes and Oregon Ducks down the stretch in his process.

The skyscraper of a defensive back is listed at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds after putting on significant size during his first offseason with the LSU program.

After joining LSU during bowl preparation in December, Pickett immediately hit the weight room and has added over 20 pounds to his frame.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker took the podium on Monday morning to dissect the Tigers and what he's seen from his five-star freshman to this point.

"DJ has grown so much from when we had him in bowl practices to spring practice to now. Ten days in, there have been some days where we got to continue to work on his consistency, but the biggest improvement from spring to fall has been his physicality. He has done a really good job tackling this fall," Baker said.

Brian Kelly and the #LSU Tigers signed the No. 1 CB in America last December: DJ Pickett.

The 5-star freshman heads into Year 1 with the Bayou Bengals listed at 6’5, 195 pounds.

Pickett has lived in the weight room + become more physical.

Blake Baker: “He’s put on 20 pounds.” pic.twitter.com/mzDue6tXQo
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) August 11, 2025

"He's put on, I don't know, 20 pounds or something since he's been here, so the weight room's gonna build confidence from that standpoint. But I've been really impressed, more impressed with his physicality so far than the coverage skills. He's always had that, and he's gotten better, don't get me wrong, but his physicality, he's turned it up a notch this fall camp."

Pickett is the tallest cornerback in college football, according to multiple reports, and will enter the season as one of the top cornerbacks on the roster.

The Sunshine State prospect continues competing during Fall Camp with an opportunity to earn a starting role ahead of Week 1 at Clemson.

During Spring Camp in March, the coaching staff continued raving about Pickett and his work ethic since arriving in Baton Rouge.

"I mean, when you look at DJ Pickett from the first three bowl practices to now, he's a different animal out there," Baker said. "A lot of the credit goes to him.

"Every day I go in the indoor, he's got the VR on. He works at it. He's very, very humble. He loves football. He's very hardworking."

Now, as the 2025 season nears, Pickett has the attention of the LSU Tigers staff with all eyes on the five-star freshman heading into his first season with the program.