LSU Football Player Profile No. 38 Of 42 – Cornerback PJ Woodland

Portrait of an LSU football player with dreadlocks, wearing a white jersey with purple and gold stripes, against a gray backdrop. — LSU cornerback PJ Woodland started all 13 games at cornerback last season as a sophomore. (LSU photo).

TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES

LSU junior cornerback has been a steady success story since signing with the Tigers before the 2024 season as a three-star prospect from Oak Grove High in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Woodland (5-foot-11, 172 pounds) started all 13 games for LSU as a sophomore in 2025 and played in all 13 in 2024 as a true freshman with two starts.

LSU Football: Cornerback PJ Woodland Enjoying His View Of Newbies Lane Kiffin And Sam Leavitt

TIGER RAG SCOUTING REPORT: A physical man-to-man, press coverage corner who plays bigger than his frame. Top 10 in the SEC in passes defended with 11 and pass breakups last year with nine.

BIOGRAPHY NOTES:

Fast-rising cornerback who teams with sophomore DJ Pickett to give LSU one of the nation’s top cornerback tandems heading into the 2026 season … Started all 13 games at cornerback and ranked No. 8 in the SEC in passes defended (11) and No. 9 in pass breakups (9) … Tremendous coverage skills with great defensive awareness … Excels in man-to-man coverage … Great ball skills … Rarely comes off the field as he played a total of 614 defensive snaps in 2025 …Has allowed only 1 passing TD in coverage in his 2 years at LSU … Helped LSU rank No. 3 and No. 24 in the nation in pass efficiency defense … LSU was only team in the SEC to have more interceptions (17) than touchdown passes allowed (14) … For career, has appeared in 26 games with 15 starts … 61 career tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, a sack, 12 pass breakups, 14 passes defended and 2 interceptions … Majoring in interdisciplinary studies.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2025)
Starter in all 13 games at cornerback … Played opposite corner from LSU unanimous All-America Mansoor Delane … Helped LSU defense lead the SEC in interceptions (17) and passes defended per game (5.31) … The Tigers were No. 2 in the SEC in passes defended with 69 and No. 4 in passes broken up … As a unit, LSU ranked No. 3 in the SEC in pass efficiency and they were the only team in the league to have more interceptions (17) than touchdown passes allowed (14) … Individually, ranked No. 8 in the SEC in passes defended with 11 and No. 9 in pass breakups with 9 … Didn’t allowing a passing TD in coverage all season … Gave up 20 receptions for 331 yards in coverage … Limited his coverage receiver to only 13 first downs with just 1 coming over the final 4 games of the season … Tallied 41 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack … Added 2 interceptions with his first career interception coming at Ole Miss … Other interception came against Western Kentucky … Interception against Ole Miss came in third quarter at LSU 22-yard line, returned it 31 yards and eventually led to a field goal, pulling the Tigers to within 17-13 … Had career-best 6 tackles on 3 occasions (at Clemson, at Ole Miss, vs. Houston in the Texas Bowl) … Had first career sack against Clemson … Sack went for a 12-yard loss on third-and-8 and forced a Clemson punt in the first quarter … Credited with a pass breakup in 8 games with career-best 2 coming at Alabama.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2024)
Appeared in all 13 games with 2 starts (Nicholls, South Alabama) … Finished first season at LSU with 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 3 pass breakups … Played a total of 174 defensive snaps with 114 coming in coverage … Season-best 41 snaps vs. South Alabama in week 5 and then against Baylor in Texas Bowl … Allowed only 1 receiving TD in 114 coverage opportunities (vs. UCLA) … Made LSU debut vs. Southern Cal, playing 9 defensive snaps … Made Tiger Stadium debut the following week with 4 tackles, including a tackle for a 2-yard loss, a forced fumble and fumble recovery vs. Nicholls … Had 3 tackles and a half-tackle for loss in other start vs. South Alabama … Set a career-best with 5 tackles and a pass breakup in Texas Bowl win over Baylor … Other pass breakups came vs. Southern Cal and Ole Miss … Added 3 tackles vs. Ole Miss.

HIGH SCHOOL
Rated as a 4-star cornerback by Rivals … Listed with 3-stars in the On3 composite … Ranked as high as No. 28 nationally at his position and No. 9 overall in Mississippi by Rivals … Multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball … Played on both sides of the ball and at multiple positions in the secondary … Had over 1,300 receiving yards as a senior on his way to being named the Mississippi 7A Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 … Played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game … As a junior in 2022, tallied 38 tackles and intercepted 7 passes … Recorded 52 tackles, 5 interceptions, returning 2 for touchdowns in 2023 … Named to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger Large School All-State team in 2023 … Led Oak Grove to the Mississippi 7A state title as a senior.

CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 6, 3x (Last: vs. Houston, 2025 Texas Bowl; First: at Clemson, 2025)
Tackles for Loss: 1.0, 2x (Last: at Clemson, 2025; First: vs. Nicholls, 2024)
Sacks: 1.0 at Clemson, 2025
Interceptions: 1, 2x (Last: vs. Western Kentucky, 2025; First: at Ole Miss, 2025)
Pass Breakups: 2 at Alabama, 2025

NEXT: Safety Jhase Thomas

EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to some cuts from the original list of 42 LSU player profiles that began on July 25 (42 days away from LSU’s opener on Saturday, Sept. 5 against Clemson), we have added players that will not fall in alphabetical order, beginning with Jhase Thomas. He moved from third team on some depth charts to a starting role in August. Should LSU’s recent transfer portal adds in light of judges’ recent rulings indeed make it to the practice field, some are all of those players could be added.

PREVIOUS BIOS:

Defensive Tackle Richard Anderson

Offensive Guard Aliou Bah

Safety Ty Benefield

Running Back Harlem Berry

Defensive Tackle Malik Blocton

Offensive Guard Bo Bordelon

Wide Receiver Jayce Brown

Defensive End Lamar Brown

Wide Receiver Tre Brown III

Punter Grant Chadwick

Quarterback Landen Clark