It didn’t take long for Rivals250 cornerback PJ Woodland to find his new home. One week after backing off his pledge to Mississippi State, the four-star prospect out of Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove announced his commitment to LSU.
Auburn, Ole Miss and Florida State were also involved in Woodland’s recruitment prior to this weekend’s decision. He also made a trip out to Tuscaloosa to check out Alabama on Saturday as the Crimson Tide rolled over Tennessee.
Woodland visited Baton Rouge for the win over Auburn prior to decommitting from the in-state program earlier this month. The opportunity to see the Tigers dominate an SEC West rivals in a raucous atmosphere was among the many factors that sealed the deal for Brian Kelly and company.
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“I’d just need to find another home,” Woodland told Rivals.com in the spring about what is the key factor in his recruitment. “Somebody that I can rely on and help me grow as a man on and off the field. Wherever I can go and compete and develop as a person is important.”
LSU cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples ran point for the Tigers in the recruitment of the versatile playmaker out of the Magnolia State. Woodland has starred on both sides of the ball on the prep level while playing in the defensive backfield and out wide at receiver.
The newest LSU commitment grabbed seven interceptions as a junior last fall, adding four pass breakups and three touchdowns. This season, Woodland is totaling more interceptions and has two more scores as his playmaking ability continues to stand out.
Woodland features good length and is competitive at the catch point, an element to his game that should translate well to the next level. He plays with impressive ball skills and is willing to get physical in coverage.
Rivals ranks PJ Woodland as the No. 239 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle. He’s the No. 8 player in the state of Mississippi and a top-30 recruit at his position nationally. Woodland bolsters an LSU class that is ranked No. 12 in the Rivals team rankings.
Cole Patterson, National Recruiting Analyst
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