LSU football's secondary is viewed as one of the best in the sport. At corner, LSU returns DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland, forming a top-notch duo. At safety, LSU added transfer Ty Benefield, who has drawn rave reviews since arriving in Baton Rouge.
Phil Steele ranks LSU's secondary No. 10 in the sport. Pick Six Previews ranks the Tigers' secondary No. 12 in the sport. But you could argue that LSU's defensive backfield is the best in college football, or at least will be by season's end.
DJ Pickett is an elite talent at corner. The 6-foot-5 sophomore was the top-ranked cornerback in his class and made an immediate impact as a true freshman. No qualified returning corner in the SEC played man coverage at a higher rate than Pickett. 41.9% of Pickett's
coverage snaps were in man and in that sample, he posted a PFF coverage grade of 76.1. That's elite for a freshman corner.
On the other side, Woodland's four forced incompletions in man coverage last year were one of the SEC's best marks. Woodland was strong in zone too, posting a 64.8 NFL passer rating when targeted.
LSU lost All-American cornerback Mansoor Delane to the NFL, but it's hard to see LSU having a drop-off at the position with Pickett and Woodland here. Both players are veterans now, and LSU's defensive coordinator trusts both to hold up in man coverage. That opens up the entire defense.
At safety, LSU has at least three proven options. Benefield is the headliner. After transferring from Boise State, Benefield emerged as one of the best players on LSU's roster. He's viewed as a potential first-round pick, and people around the sport told ESPN that Benefield could be one of the best defenders in America.
LSU also returns DaShawn Spears and TaMarcus Cooley at safety. Spears will step into a bigger role after serving as a rotational piece last year. He can play all over the field, working at STAR or playing traditional safety. Cooley is entering his fourth year of college football and has over 1,400 career snaps to his name. He logged 12 stops and picked off two passes in 2025.
Several teams around the nation have cases for their secondary to be ranked No. 1. Notre Dame, led by cornerback Leonard Moore, has an elite secondary. Alabama and Iowa have good arguments, too. For now, LSU's ranking around No. 10 is fair, but the Tigers have the pieces to be the best secondary in the sport by the time November rolls around.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football secondary could be college football's best in 2026
