Five-Star Plus+ CB DJ Pickett down to three schools ahead of commitment

Zephyrhills (Fla.) Five-Star Plus+ cornerback DJ Pickett whittled his list of top schools down to six earlier this year. Now, with a July 17 commitment date locked in, he’s focused on three programs.

Pickett told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Sunday that he is officially down to LSU, Miami and Oregon.

The 6-foot-4, defensive back is the No. 6 overall prospect and No. 2 corner in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the top-ranked player in Florida.

Each finalist had Pickett on campus for an official visit in June. Originally eyeing a commitment date at the beginning of October, Pickett moved his decision up to this July 17 earlier this week.

Pickett talks Tigers, Hurricanes and Ducks

At the On3 Elite Series in May, Pickett went in-depth on his top contenders, delivering high praise to each program. The final three schools have each been at or near the top of his recruitment for some time now. With a decision just 10 days away, all three schools still look to be in the mix for his pledge.

LSU: “Coach (Corey) Raymond is good guy, and the environment of the school I like,” Pickett said. “I really like Baton Rouge and what they can do for me on an off the field. Their fans care about their players, and it’s somewhere you can build you brand. A lot of people care for LSU, and it’s DBU, too.”

Miami: “Miami is the home team right now,” he said. “Miami is Miami. My cousin is there, I have family ties there. It’s another place where I can build my brand and do what I want to do on and off the field. It’s also somewhere I can play early. Coach Cristobal, he played there and he’s from Miami so he actually takes pride in what he has going on there. And he’s trying to bring “The U” back. The players already on the team, I see how they practice and they believe in what he has going in.”

Oregon: “Oregon has a lot of resources, and it’s somewhere I feel like I can be successful at. That’s a long ways from home, but I’d have less distractions. And it’s an opportunity to get to play early, and everybody in the building, they’re just really cool people. They’ve got the connection with Nike, and after school is over I could get more into the Nike business. They have all the resources, in my opinion. They’re about their business, and they take the defensive side serious. They’re prepared, and they do everything well.”

On3’s scouting and rankings team writes this of Pickett as a prospect:

“Dynamic, explosive two-way playmaker who looks like one of the top defensive back prospects in the 2025 cycle. A big-time two-way player as a receiver and defensive back. Has a thin, lean frame at over 6-foot-2 and around 170 pounds. An extremely twitchy athlete who also excels in track and field. Turned in sensational marks in the 100 meters (10.62 seconds) and 200 meters (21.69 seconds) as a sophomore. A natural playmaker on Friday nights. Pairs his plus athleticism and easy movement skills with high level instincts and ball skills. Has elite range as a deep safety. Reads and jumps routes to make plays on the ball. Doubles as a game-breaking receiver with the ability to take the top off of defenses and come down with acrobatic contested catches.

…Finished his sophomore season with 43 catches for 886 yards and 12 touchdowns in addition to picking off four passes. Ranked as a safety early on, but could be a legitimate high-end cornerback prospect or even play some offense in college. A bit older for the cycle, with a May birthday. Will need to continue adding good mass to his leaner frame.”