Meet five-star recruit DJ Pickett, a unique talent with strong Michigan ties

DJ Pickett waited patiently as a cheerleader dug through a box on the track after a Zephyrhills (Fla.) High win in late September.

It took a while, but she finally pulled out Pickett’s post-game prize — a tiny, orange plush football. An item that elementary students normally fight for after they’re launched into the bleachers following touchdowns was of the utmost importance to the No. 1 ranked safety in the country in the 2025 recruiting class.

The souvenir wasn’t a gift for a girl or one of the many children that wanted a photo with their hometown hero. That mini football was for Pickett to take home.

“He’ll walk around with it all day,” said Pickett’s mother, Tammie. “DJ does have a little bit of anxiety, and it helps throughout the day. He has so much pressure. DJ probably has a basket of them. He also collects them. Don’t ask me why, but that’s my kid. Whatever helps him is fine because he has to go through this. That’s what he would ask for during Christmas. And he would be so happy with it.”

Plush footballs and actual pigskins have been a part of DJ’s life since he was old enough to walk. According to Tammie, DJ never played with toys or took interest in video games. It was all football all the time.

Fast forward to now, and DJ has become one of the most sought-after blue chip prospects in America with offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oregon, Texas and a slew of others.

There is a lot of glitz and glamour that comes with being a five-star recruit, but DJ really does put in the work behind the scenes. From morning training sessions to online and regular classes to after school practices to fielding calls from coaches and reporters, the recruiting process can require a new plush football every now and then.

“We’re extremely blessed, but it is a lot,” Tammie said. “It can be overwhelming at times. DJ is still a kid. He still has schoolwork and chores around the house. After all this is all said and done, I’m going to write a book. You see the good things about it like ‘oh my God, everyone wants your kid.’ But remember, we’re still parents that have to get them across the stage for high school, and we have to work. It’s hard.”

DJ has a good support system around him, which is a necessity in the new NIL era of college football. As a Top 10 recruit nationally, Pickett is going to command plenty of potential NIL deals. And it’s no secret some schools are offering top targets upfront money.

Tammie has a plan. She’s already meeting with advisors at JPMorgan Chase & co., looking into patents and creating an LLC. On the surface, it seems like NIL will be a factor on the recruiting trail for the Pickett family, but that’s far from the truth.

When it comes to NIL, Tammie is simply looking out for DJ’s future. In fact, she will not allow DJ to touch any of his future NIL earnings while he’s enrolled in college. Every penny will be invested.

“I always say ‘don’t talk to me about money,’” Tammie said. “NIL is great because these kids work so hard, and colleges do make money off of it. The thing about DJ is he doesn’t have to think ‘I have to make it and take care of my mom.’ I’m going to be blunt… with African American players, nine times out of ten, they have to take care of their parents. DJ is spoiled. He drives a Dodge Challenger and lives in a new home. Money isn’t at the forefront, and he’s not a money hungry person.

“When it comes, it comes. I tell DJ never to chase a dollar. It’s about doing what you love. The money will eventually come to you. You’ll get paid for your performance, and you’re an amazing player. I think parents need more education on it. A lot of players are getting caught up in NIL, and they are making the worst decisions of their lives, even to where it affects their future NFL contracts.”

Zephyrhills is a small town northeast of Tampa with a population of fewer than 20,000. On the drive to the high school stadium, you’ll find an array of fruit stands and local businesses. It’s far from the bustling life of Florida’s major cities.

The Pickett’s were actually Zephyrhills’s second African American settlers. DJ has deep ties in his community and values what it means to be part of a family. NIL won’t move the needle. Family will.

And that’s a big reason why Michigan is such a strong contender in DJ’s recruitment early on.

Tammie attended Michigan, DJ’s grandmother lives less than an hour away from The Big House, DJ’s late aunt, Niara Sudarkasa, was the first tenured African American professor at U-M, and his cousin, Michael Sudarkasa, is a member of Michigan Provost’s Advisory Committee. The connections are never ending.

“Michigan is a part of our legacy,” Tammie said. “Michigan is home to us. The recruiting with Michigan is a little different because it’s like family. It’s not as aggressive as everybody else. We don’t get the edited effect every week like ‘go DJ, we’re rooting for you.’ It’s not like that with Michigan. When DJ goes there, it’s like home to him. There is no other school like Michigan, and I’m not just saying that because I attended.”

Then there is the man at the top.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh literally embodies the university. U-M’s core values can be seen in the way Harbaugh approaches his football team and treats everyone from assistants to staffers to players like family.

Harbaugh also values hard work. His stance on NIL has been critiqued by some that would prefer a pay for play model. However, Harbaugh wants his players to earn their money, and more importantly, have opportunities in life outside of football. In many ways, Tammie’s views on NIL and the recruiting process, as a whole, perfectly align.

Perhaps Tammie’s best quote from the whole interview was this: “Who says you are going to make it to the NFL? When you go to college, there’s no more five stars. You have to work.”

That sounds a lot like… Harbaugh.

“I love Jim,” Tammie said. “I love Jay (Harbaugh). I love his dad (Jack). Jim doesn’t sell Michigan. Michigan sells itself. He’s an old school coach. You have to work hard. He makes all his new employees wear that blue collar shirt. Back in the day, people would pump your gas for you, and his grandfather owned one of those gas stations. It’s that blue shirt with your name on it, and it’s about hard work and dedication and never forgetting your ties. Jim also doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s not all peaches and cream.”

The same can be said about Michigan co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale and safeties coach Jay Harbaugh. The pair are leading the way in DJ’s recruitment and have taken the same approach.

“I love Steve,” Tammie said. “Him and DJ have a really good relationship. I have a really good relationship with him and his wife. It’s the same thing with Jay. When DJ is with them, it’s not just about the football. He excels at that. He’s a five-star. But his thing is, ‘what are you going to teach me off the field?’ and ‘are you going to teach me to be a great man and husband one day?’ A lot of people say my kid is different. He knows football is going to get him to his next plateau, but he’s still going to be a young man when football is over with.

“He wants to see how coaches interact with their own kids. DJ is very family-oriented and very religious. I don’t have to tell him to go to church on Sundays. Family is everything to him. I think that’s something Michigan offers more than everybody else.”

DJ will get another look at Michigan’s family atmosphere this weekend when he returns to Ann Arbor for the game against Indiana. However, both DJ and Tammie have already been on campus on numerous occasions over the last several years — some visits have even gone unreported.

Tammie still refers to Ohio State simply as Ohio and enjoys reflecting on her time on campus. She knows Michigan can offer a unique experience. And now, DJ is quickly learning what it means to be a Michigan Man.

“With Michigan, it’s the people, the pride and the interaction,” Tammie said. “It doesn’t feel forced. I’ve been to other schools, and it feels forced. I understand it’s part of the process, but when we go to Michigan, it’s not like that. I want to see the good and the bad. Sometimes, we’ve gone and haven’t told them that we’re there. We have a home in Rochester Hills, so I’ll pop up just to see things. Jim said ‘Tammie, we love that.’ I want it to be the real thing. Jim said ‘we don’t sugarcoat anything… it is what it is.’ He said ‘DJ can go anywhere and succeed, but is he going to get this experience?’”

That question remains to be answered.

While Michigan has a lot going for it in this recruitment, SEC stalwarts Florida and Georgia are also high on DJ’s mind. Oregon is set to get him on campus later this month, and both Alabama and Texas are heavily involved.

Michigan has a special place in Tammie’s heart, but she’ll support DJ no matter where he decides to go to school. And that means the recruiting process and all the stress that comes with it is just heating up.  

With more than a year to go before DJ has to put pen to paper on National Signing Day, Tammie has plenty of time to work on her book. DJ, on the other hand, will be adding more plush footballs to his collection.

He’ll certainly need them.