We’re months away from college football’s transfer portal opening its door, but LSU football saw its first departure on Wednesday.
LSU cornerback Ashton Stamps left the team, LSU head coach Brian Kelly confirmed. The news comes two days after Kelly said LSU was trying to redshirt Stamps. The writing was on the wall then. The most logical conclusion was Stamps preserving his eligibility to use it elsewhere — you don’t see players opt to redshirt after their freshman year and stick around at the same school.
Stamps was a consistent presence in the LSU secondary in 2023 and 2024, but didn’t see much time in 2025. The arrivals of transfer Mansoor Delane and freshman DJ Pickett led to limited action for Stamps. He only played 18 defensive snaps, all coming in the win over Louisiana Tech.
With Stamps gone, LSU’s starting lineup remains intact, but the depth chart looks different. Here’s where LSU’s cornerback room stands after the exit of the third-year cornerback.
LSU football cornerback depth chart
Starters: Mansoor Delane and PJ Woodland
LSU’s starting cornerback duo of Mansoor Delane and PJ Woodland might be the best in college football. Delane is on track to be an All-American and in consideration for the Thorpe Award. If Delane keeps this up, he may even find himself in consideration for national defensive player of the year.
Woodland is enjoying a breakout campaign of his own. Offenses have just a 54.9 opponent passer rating when targeting Woodland. He’s allowed 11 catches for 146 yards while picking off a pass.
Next Up: DJ Pickett
Pickett, a five-star freshman, is firmly in the defensive rotation. He’s played 213 snaps and just played a career high of 42 vs. Vanderbilt. At 6-foot-5, Pickett has a physical presence rarely seen at cornerback. He put that on display in the South Carolina game, recording five stops. Pickett has allowed just seven completions for 69 yards all season.
CB4: Ja’Keem Jackson
Jackson was a member of LSU’s 2025 transfer portal class. He originally signed with LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond at Florida. Now, both are in Baton Rouge. Jakson suffered a season-ending injury in 2024 and is yet to play much in 2025. It’s hard to say if that’s because Jackson is still working to get healthy, or LSU just doesn’t have a spot for him, given how well the top three corners are playing.
Regardless, Jackson is one injury away from potentially playing a major role on this defense.
CB5: Michael Turner Jr.
Turner Jr. signed with LSU as an athlete in 2024, but ended up on the defensive side of the ball. He’s played 24 snaps this year, appearing vs. Louisiana Tech and SE Louisiana. He’s been targeted twice — both passes resulted in incompletions.
