5-star DJ Pickett gives high marks off Miami Hurricanes official visit: Felt the vibe, says time on campus "was a big impact"
In the 2025 class, there may not be a prospect more highly regarded by the Miami Hurricanes than Tampa (Fla.) Zephyrhills five-star cornerback DJ Pickett, who was on campus this past weekend for his official visit.
And he gave it high marks.
“It was good, you feel me, just being back here was a good vibe,” Pickett said.
WEEKEND OFFICIAL VISIT RECRUITING UPDATES: Dallas Wilson … DJ Pickett … Amari Wallace … Girard Pringle … Myron Charles … Max Buchanan … Isaac Sowells … Chris Ewald
Ahead of the visit to Miami, Pickett’s father, Damien Pickett, wanted to see the Hurricanes plan for DJ both on and off the field if he chose to commit to the program.
They did just that.
“The plan is basically just come in ready to work, to compete for a starting job,” Pickett said. “That’s something I’d love to do.”
During his time on campus, Pickett had the chance to speak with multiple Miami staff members, which included head coach Mario Cristobal, defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, and cornerbacks coach Chevis Jackson.
“There wasn’t too much to sell, I already knew what to expect,” Pickett said.
Pickett, who is the No. 6 overall prospect in the country according to the On3 Industry Ranking, said a highlight was “just being around the people in the building.”
“And just feeling the vibe that I liked,” he added.
While Pickett’s official visits will play a large role in his final decision, so will each of his top programs performances in the first weeks of the season. Georgia, LSU and Oregon are among those battling for him.
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“Have to see how Miami does during the season compared to others (is important),” Pickett said. “I just want to see wins, at least see if the program is going in the right direction. I think Miami is doing that right now.”
With an October 5 commitment date set, there is still some time before Pickett will announce his final decision. But it looks as if the Hurricanes left a lasting impression on the coveted defender.
“This (visit) was a big impact,” Pickett said. “They didn’t need to do too much, I already knew what to expect. Just being back and having that same feeling again (was important).”
CaneSport’s take
Pickett’s already got a family member on campus, freshman Booker Pickett, and DJ says that Booker “loves it. He said the coaches stayed the same even when you’re on the team. He just loved it. That’s a big plus. That’s big (for me) having someone already on the team, family up the road. It’s something big for me.” Certainly this visit went as well as Miami could have hoped, and we think the Canes are well positioned here.
