Tag: dj pickett

Top-ranked 2025 safety will be at Grill in the Ville on Saturday

This top-ranked 2025 safety prospect is leaning toward Florida and will be in town this weekend.

Florida football’s first edition of its midsummer Grill in the Ville event is just a day away as the program prepares to host a plethora of prep prospects from a range of recruiting classes into the Swamp in an effort to build a closer relationship with Billy Napier and the Gators’ staff.

While the 2024 recruiting cycle has the most representatives scheduled to attend the festivities in Gainesville on Saturday, July 29, the 2025 class also has a handful of recruits who will be in town for the cookout and other scheduled activities. Among them is five-star safety [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] out of Zephyrhills (Florida) who is one of the top 10 student-athletes overall in his respective class.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 170-pound blue-chip defender has made two trips to Gainesville this year, with one coming back in March and the second at the beginning of June. The high school junior has been pursued by the Orange and Blue dating back to the Dan Mullen era, with Napier and Co. picking up where he had left off.

Pickett is ranked No. 8 overall and No. 1 at his position nationally according to both the 247Sports composite and On3 industry ranking. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida in front with a 22.9% chance of landing him, followed by the Florida State Seminoles (12.2%), Georgia Bulldogs (10.4%) and Michigan Wolverines (8.7%).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida to host top-ranked safety from class of 2025

Although it will be mostly 2024s at Florida’s end-of-July recruiting cookout, at least one top-10 player from the class of 2025 will be in Gainesville.

When it comes to five-star recruits, schools have to start early.

That’s exactly what Billy Napier and the Florida Gators are doing with Zephyrhills safety [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag], who has already been on campus twice this summer. Pickett will return for a third unofficial visit to the Swamp at the end of July, according to 247Sports. The Gators are mostly hosting 2024s at the annual Grill in the ‘Ville cookout on July 29, but Pickett is one of the rare 2025s that got an invite.

Getting ahead isn’t easy when the competition is Alabama, Georgia and Michigan, but having an elite defensive backs coach seems to have given Florida an edge.

“I can talk to him about anything and I feel comfortable being around him,” Pickett said of Raymond. “With my versatility, I could play safety and corner. It’s like, I don’t have to talk to a different coach here, and he could move me around in the defense…

“… He told me he prepares his guys to play in the NFL and that is how their defense is. My goal is to get to the NFL.”

With Pickett confident that Raymond can get him to the NFL and another visit already scheduled, Florida seems like the team to beat right now. A lot can change in a little amount of time, though, and Pickett has 17 more months until his early signing period takes place.

Pickett is ranked No. 8 overall and the No. 1 safety in the class on the 247Sports composite. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of the state of Florida.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

LOOK: 2025 5-star, nation’s top safety in uniform for Michigan football visit

👀 #GoBlue

Michigan football is fresh off a huge official visit weekend. While it waits for the next one, it’s holding camps and hosting some unofficial visitors.

On Tuesday a huge name swung by to check out the maize and blue.

Rated the No. 7 prospect overall, regardless of position, by the 247Sports composite, 2025 Tampa (Fla.) Zephyrhills five-star safety DJ Pickett made his way to Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit. Pickett is the top-rated safety and second-best player in the state of Florida.

Pickett shared pictures in a maize and blue uniform from his visit on his Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtcB3_nus1O/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Pickett has 37 reported offers, including Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, LSU, MSU, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas, USC, and more.

Pickett last visited Ann Arbor unofficially back in October 2022 for the game vs. Penn State.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal title=”An offer for Wolverines fans” description=”For the best local Detroit news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.” url=”https://cm.freep.com/channeloffer?gps-source=CPSMGMIDARTICLE&utm_source=smg&utm_medium=inline&utm_content=wolverineswire&utm_campaign=smgtolocal&offer=W-SF&barBuild=atoms-pid” button_text=”$1 for 3 months”]

 

Ducks extend offer to 5-star DJ Pickett, No. 1 safety in 2025 class

Oregon’s Chris Hampton has big eyes in the class of 2025, offering DJ Pickett, the No. 1 ranked safety in the nation.

The Oregon Ducks’ new safeties coach Chris Hampton is making an early impression on the recruiting game up in Eugene since coming over from Tulane.

Already he has landed a commitment from Aaron Flowers, one of the top safeties in the 2024 class, and he appears to be big-game hunting, extending an offer to DJ Pickett, the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, and the No. 6 overall player, per the 247Sports Composite.

Pickett is a rising star in the 2025 class, and he has a lengthy offer list from some of the top schools in the nation. The Ducks will likely be aggressive in recruiting him, attempting to get him out to Eugene for a visit in the coming months as his process continues.

DJ Pickett’s Recruiting Profile

Talented 5-star safety DJ Pickett sets Georgia visit

Pickett is rated as the No. 1 safety in the ’25 class…

Five-star 2025 safety D.J. Pickett, out of Tampa, Fla., has scheduled a visit to Georgia on April 15, the day of the annual ‘G-Day’ spring game in Sanford Stadium.

Pickett (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) is rated as the No. 1 safety, the No. 2 player in the state of Florida and the No. 5 player overall in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite.

Here’s a look at Pickett’s sophomore season at Zephyrhills High School.

 

Top 2025 safety prospect visiting Gainesville on Tuesday

Billy Napier continues to establish his recruiting philosophy, bringing in the best 2025 in-state talent for a visit Tuesday during spring practices.

Tuesday is a big day for Billy Napier and the Florida football staff. 247Sports’ Blake Alderman reported that DJ Pickett, the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class according to the 247Sports consensus, will be on campus on that day to get acclimated with the program.

The Zephyrhills High School standout has been a major target for the Orange and Blue going back to when Dan Mullen was in charge of the program. Mullen offered Pickett in 2021 when the elite defensive back was just a freshman in high school.

Luckily for Napier, Pickett fits his recruiting profile, as the Tampa native is one of the best prospects in the nation. Keeping elite talent in state is the backbone of Napier’s recruiting philosophy, making Pickett one of the few players who maintained their scholarship offer during the transition from Mullen to Napier.

Pickett has continued to remain in contact with Napier and his staff. He even visited Gainesville back in January as part of the Gators’ Junior Day recruiting event. This time around, Pickett will get the chance to sit in on spring practices and sit in on pre-practice meetings as well. He will also build upon his conversations with defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, one of the best developers of defensive backs talent in college football.

The Gators are eager to make Pickett the cornerstone of their 2025 recruiting class, which currently has zero commits. They’ll have to fight off not just the other top programs in the state, but across the country. Proximity to home and being one of the first programs to offer him over two years ago are just a couple of positives when considering the Florida Gators.

Pickett has said he wants to narrow down his list sometime this summer. In addition to the Gators, he currently holds offers from and has been on campus at Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Texas.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

[mm-video type=video id=01gw2m2fwxwcs4fq10b7 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gw2m2fwxwcs4fq10b7/01gw2m2fwxwcs4fq10b7-8a5b31084f9dba1bbd8274fbf9cbb7cf.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

MSU football offers elite 2025 ATH DJ Pickett of Tampa, Fla.

Michigan State is joining the mix of big-time programs showing interest in 2025 athlete DJ Pickett from Tampa, Fla

Michigan State is joining the mix of big-time programs showing interest in 2025 athlete DJ Pickett from Tampa, Fla.

The Spartans have extended a scholarship offer to Pickett, according to his Twitter account. Pickett is an athlete (wide receiver / defensive back) in the 2025 class, and plays for Zephyrhills High.

Pickett is yet to be ranked on 247Sports but certainly is considered a high-level prospect based on the schools that have already offered him a scholarship. He now holds scholarships from 35 programs, including the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, LSU, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.

[mm-video type=video id=01g0ch9fj47hb5xkstbd playlist_id=01eqbz825g32p3akwt player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0ch9fj47hb5xkstbd/01g0ch9fj47hb5xkstbd-d3c5de3550b6c87bb2903c3bab8d9669.jpg]

[listicle id=99074]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1362]