By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU top cornerback Mansoor Delane sat out the Western Kentucky game Saturday with a core injury, and the 22-point favored Tigers somehow found themselves in a game from start to finish before edging the Hilltoppers, 13-10.
Maybe Lane Kiffin wasn’t watching, or turned the TV off, like everybody else. LSU 13, Western (22-point underdog) Kentucky 10.https://t.co/s77U4QTSB2
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 23, 2025
So, true freshman cornerback DJ Pickett had to come through with the game in the balance. And he did just that with an interception early in the third quarter as LSU led nervously at 7-3. Pickett’s pick set the Tigers up at the Western Kentucky 22-yard line. After LSU’s offense and quarterback Michael Van Buren failed to score a touchdown once again in the red zone despite two shots from the 1-yard line, Damian Ramos extended LSU’s lead to 10-3 with an 18-yard field goal.
Without that field goal, LSU could have found itself in a 10-10 tie after regulation.
Pickett also made five tackles with a sack and was given the game ball by interim coach Frank Wilson.
Delane, a projected first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as a senior, is expected to play Saturday when the Tigers (7-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) close the regular season at No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2, 4-2 SEC) at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
“Mansoor Delane was good this morning and in yesterday’s (Sunday’s) treatment,” Wilson said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “So, we’re hopeful that he’ll be able to play in full capacity in this game.”
But even if Delane does play, LSU will still need Pickett, who has 29 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, two pass breakups and four pass deflections in 11 games this season with two starts.
DJ Pickett Interception (WKU) pic.twitter.com/2M1AB5rHzt
— bob (@BobOnTheGeaux) November 23, 2025
“He was our MVP. I thought he played lights out,” Wilson said.
What a performance by the freshman. DJ Pickett earned the Game Ball. pic.twitter.com/N8yGunXo8E
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 23, 2025
“I thought he was good in run support,” Wilson added. “I thought he shed blocks and came off as a squat corner and in zone coverage and negated runs. I thought he blitzed well and was disruptive. I thought he contested passes. And of course, with the interception as well.”
Pickett has been everything expected by LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond, who recruited the five-star prospect from Zephyrhills High in Zephyrhills, Florida, near Tampa, when Pickett was the No. 1 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com and On3.
“He is an elite player,” Wilson said. “Exactly what we desired for him to be for us. I think he’s going to be a spectacular player, and his future is extremely bright.”
In a reboot of “The Bachelor” next Saturday night, who will Lane Kiffin select? #LSU, #Florida or #OleMiss?Column:https://t.co/j2Y4DABkzu
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 22, 2025
One of the first jobs for LSU’s incoming new head coach – Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin or someone else – will be to keep Pickett out of the NCAA Transfer Portal.
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