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PJ Woodland on LSU: "It means everything to me"

On3 imageby:Shea Dixon•10/23/23•

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PJ-Woodland
PJ Woodland (Photo: Shea Dixon/On3)

Hattiesburg (Miss.) athlete PJ Woodland shut down his recruitment on Sunday when he announced his verbal pledge to LSU.

After committing to Mississippi State in the summer, Woodland reversed course following a visit to Baton Rouge a week ago.

The Oak Grove standout was in Tiger Stadium for LSU’s 30-point win over Auburn, and the following day he announced he was reopening his recruitment.

After initially planning to visit Tuscaloosa for the Tennessee vs. Alabama game this past weekend, Woodland elected to shuffle up those plans and head to Baton Rouge for a second game in a row.

Seven days after backing off his commitment to the Bulldogs, Woodland announced his decision to commit to LSU as a cornerback in the 2024 cycle.

“It means everything to me,” Woodland told On3. “It’s a blessing to be in this position and I’m grateful to continue to be playing football at an excellent program. Why not go to ‘DBU’ when you play DB?”

LSU is going heavy on the additions of high school cornerbacks in the 2024 cycle in hopes of rebuilding a room that has had to rely on transfers the past two seasons.

The Tigers have cornerback commitments in from Louisiana four-star Ju’Juan Johnson, Louisiana three-star Wallace Foster and Florida four-star Cai Bates.

Within the past week, Tennessee four-star cornerback Ondre Evans flipped his commitment from LSU to Georgia. Five days later, the Tigers had replaced the void left by Evans with a verbal pledge from Woodland.

Woodland chose LSU over Ole Miss, Auburn and others.

After camping in Baton Rouge in June, the Magnolia State standout said he felt comfortable with the fit in Baton Rouge as he locks in on a final college choice.

“I’ve been in contact with the staff for some time already,” Woodland said. “They’ve been on me like I’m already enrolled. “Those guys have definitely made me and my family feel welcomed.”

LSU cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples helped lead the charge for Woodland, and he got an assist from a Mississippi native and current LSU defensive analyst Eddie Hicks, who played cornerback at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg before graduating in 2009.

“From talking with Coach Steeples and Coach Hicks, those guys believe I have what it takes to play at LSU,” Woodland said. “I just want to continue the legacy of LSU and DBU.”

Woodland is ranked as the On3 Industry Rankings’s No. 19 athlete in the country for the 2024 cycle, and he’s the sixth defensive back to join the class. In addition to four cornerbacks, the Tigers also have commitments from a pair of in-state safeties in four-stars DaShawn McBryde and Joel Rogers.

LSU now has 24 commitments in the 2024 class, and the number is expected to continue to rise. The NCAA no longer enforces a 25-man signing limit on programs, and the Tigers are expected to pass up that mark when it comes to high school additions to the roster this offseason.

Here’s a look at Woodland’s midseason highlights from his senior season at Oak Grove.

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