LSU Country

Pair of Five-Star LSU Football Signees Join the Tigers for Bowl Preparation

Brian Kelly and Co. bring in a pair of five-star signees to practice with the program, get in extra work with the team.
Zach Nagy|
Courtesy of Harlem Berry's Instagram.

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Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers remain active on the recruiting trail in December after signing a number of key pieces for the 2025 season.

Prior to the NCAA Transfer Portal opening, Kelly and Co. saw the 2025 Recruiting Class put pen to paper with the program on Dec. 4.

National Signing Day treated the program well with multiple five-stars making things official with the Bayou Bengals.

Now, the early-enrollees are set to arrive in Baton Rouge in January to begin their careers with the purple and gold.

But two five-star signees have already joined the program as the Tigers prepare for a Texas Bowl showdown against the Baylor Bears.

The Signees in Houston for Bowl Preparation:

Harlem Berry: No. 1 Running Back in America

Metairie (La.) St. Martin's Episcopal five-star running back Harlem Berry is Baton Rouge bound after putting pen to paper with the LSU Tigers on National Signing Day.

Berry, the No. 1 running back in America, committed to Brian Kelly and the program on Jan. 3 while remaining loyal to his pledge until the end.

He's a player that jumps off the page when looking at the numbers. Berry is one of the most decorated athletes in Louisiana history and heads to LSU as the highest-rated running back in the state since Leonard Fournette.

On Signing Day, the superlatives came rolling in for Berry with analysts simply calling him a "human highlight reel" or the "human joystick" with the way he bounces off of defenders and remains upright.

Now, the "human joystick" will prepare to be in Baton Rouge this spring where he will take part in LSU's spring camp. Berry will be an early-enrollee alongside double-digit 2025 signees. He has now joined the Tigers for bowl preparation against Baylor.

"Before I even made the decision, I knew where I wanted to go," Berry said on Signing Day, "and once I made it, I was locked in. Nothing was going to change my mind."

Berry has proven to be big on loyalty and relationships, which paved the way for the five-star to put pen to paper with the Tigers in early December.

"I built a great relationship with (LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson)," Berry said. "All the other coaches at the other universities, I felt that they could get me where I needed to get. But it was just that connection I had with coach Frank. It was more than just football."

DJ Pickett: No. 1 Cornerback in America

LSU was in dire need of a young, impactful cornerback to make his way to Baton Rouge in the 2025 Recruiting Class with Corey Raymond spearheading the push.

Now, he's landed his "big fish" with DJ Pickett joining the program.

Pickett, the Tigers' top-ranked signee in the 2025 Recruiting Class, chose LSU over Miami, Oregon and Georgia during his recruitment process.

It was a battle down the stretch in order to secure the coveted prospect. A player with the top programs in the country battling for his services, LSU proved they were willing to do anything in their power to lock him down and get him to campus.

Kelly has raved about the youngster and what he's set to provide the program moving forward. He projects as a player that will make an instant impact for the Tigers.

"Watching a guy on film move that way (with his height) was what really surprised me about him," Kelly said on National Signing Day. "I don't even know if it's an argument. We believe he's hands-down the best corner in the country.

"I don't know that I've ever felt that there is a lockdown corner, but he's about as close as there is to a lockdown corner in the country. And his offensive film might be as good, if not better."

Now, 6-foot-4, 180-pound defensive back has arrived in Baton Rouge after making his way to campus as an early-enrollee last weekend.

Pickett took the field with the Tigers for the first time on Monday where he's participating in bowl preparation with the program. He has traveled with the team to Houston for their clash against Baylor.

Pickett will be a full participant during Texas Bowl practice leading up to next week's game.

Though Pickett can practice with the team and get accustomed to a college regime, he will be unable to play in LSU's Dec. 31 Texas Bowl showdown against the Baylor Bears. Early-enrollees are ineligible for bowl games with their current squads.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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Zack Nagy
ZACH NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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