Tag: Kade Phillips

Should LSU be worried about losing 5-star corner DJ Pickett?

DJ Pickett is the headliner of LSU’s 2025 defensive class. Can LSU hold on down the stretch?

Most of the 2025 five-stars have already committed, which means teams must push for flips if they wish to add a five-star to their class.

Miami is doing just that with five-star LSU commit [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag]. It came as somewhat of a surprise when Pickett committed to LSU over the summer. Now, the Tigers will be tested to hold on down the stretch.

According to On3, Pickett will visit Miami this weekend.

“Mario Cristobal has been relentless in his communication,” On3’s Steve Wiltfong said, “but I think the push is only going to continue as you get close to the early signing period in December.”

Pickett is a Florida native and LSU fought hard to beat out Pickett’s home-state teams, but that always gets tougher as signing day nears.

According to the On3 Industry Rankings, Pickett is the No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 2 overall corner. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] brought secondary coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] back to LSU with the hope of landing defensive backs of Pickett’s caliber.

Raymond is off to a good start with Pickett on board, along with blue-chips [autotag]Kade Phillips[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Bradford[/autotag] and [autotag]Aidan Anding[/autotag].

LSU’s had trouble building a consistent the last few years, but the 2025 class offers a chance to build a strong core on the backed. Keeping Pickett in the fold will be critical for Kelly and the LSU coaching staff as signing day nears.

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Four-star DB in 2025 class flips from Texas to LSU

The Texas Longhorns’ 2025 recruiting class suffered a blow when defensive back Kade Phillips flipped from Texas to LSU

On Sunday, the Texas Longhorns’ 2025 recruiting class suffered a blow when defensive back Kade Phillips flipped from Texas to LSU. He had been committed to Texas since July and is ranked as the No.7 cornerback in the 2025 class, according to On3.

While the Longhorns made their belief in Phillips well known, LSU’s persistence paid off. When speaking with On3 about the Tigers’ interest, Phillips said, “It was a little while once I committed to Texas, with them still texting and calling me almost every day. The coaching staff was locked in with me even after I committed.”

As the Longhorns look to fill the void left by Phillips, they do have a few options. Cornerback Aiden Anding and Jonah Williams, a five-star linebacker recruited by Texas as a safety, set their commitment dates for August 24. If Texas is able to land either of them, its defense in 2025 will get a massive upgrade.

With Phillips out of the mix, the Longhorns 2025 class has dropped from the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation to No. 13. Clemson jumped up one spot. However, there is plenty of time to add more talent, which will be a focus over the next few weeks.

Although Phillips’s decision is disappointing for Texas, he should thrive at LSU and improve a secondary in need of help.

Where LSU’s 2025 recruiting class ranks after latest commit

Where does LSU’s recruiting class rank after the latest addition?

LSU added to its stellar 2025 class over the weekend, flipping four-star cornerback [autotag]Kade Phillips[/autotag] from Texas. According to On3, Phillips is the No. 7 ranked corner in the country and No. 65 overall recruit.

The Industry Rankings slate Phillips 164th overall, making him the 13th top 200 recruit to join LSU’s class.

With the addition, LSU’s class remained at No. 3 in the nation, but the Tigers closed the gap with Alabama and Ohio State. Just .079 points separate LSU and Ohio State’s classes now.

247Sports agrees with On3, ranking LSU at No. 3 too.

Phillips is LSU’s 16th blue-chip recruit of the class, which ties Ohio State for most in the country.

As far as average recruit rating goes, LSU ranks third, too. Oregon leads the country with an average rating of 92.79, followed by Ohio State at 92.28 and LSU at 91.76.

Flipping Phillips was the second Texas flip of the cycle for LSU. Earlier this summer, the Tigers managed to swing four-star defensive tackle [autotag]Brandon Brown[/autotag].

LSU recruiting is on a roll right now and the Phillips addition keeps LSU in the race for the top overall class. The Tigers are still chasing some of the nation’s top prospects with safety [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Jaime Ffrench[/autotag] still on the board.

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LSU flips 4-star cornerback Kade Phillips from Texas

Brian Kelly pulled off a masterclass as he flipped a four-star cornerback commitment from Texas to LSU.

After landing a three-star tight end on Saturday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] pulled off a masterclass as he flipped a four-star cornerback commitment from Texas to LSU.

[autotag]Kade Phillips[/autotag] is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound, four-star cornerback from Missouri City, Texas, where he plays for Hightower High School. The Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes look to improve on their 12-2 season last year as they start their season against Clear Falls.

Phillips becomes the 24th commit of the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] and the second cornerback commitment of the class joining five-star [autotag]DJ Pickett[/autotag] from Zephyrhills, Florida. The Tigers 2025 class is currently ranked as the No. 3 class in the country, only trailing Ohio State and Alabama.

For the past few seasons, Kelly has had to depend on players from the transfer portal to fill his secondary. It appears as though he may be shifting from that to prep players to make a huge impact in the back end of his defense.

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LSU offers 4-star safety from Missouri City, Texas

Texas A&M is a 34% favorite to land Kade Phillips per On3.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and his recruiting staff made a trip to Missouri City, Texas, to extend an offer to a four-star defensive back who is currently projected to commit to Texas A&M.

[autotag]Kade Phillips[/autotag] is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound, four-star safety in the 2025 recruiting class. He plays for Fort Bend Hightower High School. The Hightower Hurricanes finished the 2023 season 12-2 with a loss to Summer Creek in the third round of the 6A D2 playoffs.

There are currently no Crystal Ball projections for Phillips at this time but Texas A&M is a 34% favorite to land him per On3.

Film Analysis: Phillips is a talented defensive back who can start as a Safety or drop down and play cornerback at the next level.

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