Hurricanes miss out on five-star defensive back D.J. Pickett

The Hurricanes have had a strong summer on the recruiting trail, but they could not land one of their top targets.

Five-star defensive back D.J. Pickett committed to LSU, choosing the Tigers over offers from Miami, Georgia and Oregon, among others. He announced his decision on his Instagram account.

Pickett, a 6-foot-4, 178-pound star for Zephyrhills High outside of Tampa, is listed as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 6 player in the 2025 class by 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is also rated the top prospect in Florida.

Pickett had 52 catches for 1,033 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense last season while making 31 tackles with an interception on defense.

Pickett has family ties to UM, as his cousin Booker Pickett Jr. signed with UM last year. Pickett’s father, Ryan Pickett, played defensive line at Ohio State and was a first-round draft pick.