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When it comes to reeling in five-star recruits, LSU coach Brian Kelly shared his displeasure with the notion that money talks or five-star players walk on Signing Day.

While Kelly checked himself and noted not all recruits manage the process the same, he is concerned that many coveted high school players aren’t seeking the best fit, but the biggest paycheck to commit.

“It’s not just about finding the right fit, it’s about the most money I can get,” Kelly said. “That’s unfortunate, but it’s the world we live in. You realign and readjust.”

Two five-star recruits who committed to LSU opted to sign elsewhere in the past week. The Tigers are still feeling scorned by the decision of No. 1 overall recruit and quarterback Bryce Underwood bailing to play for Michigan. According to reports, his NIL offer was over $10 million.

“These guys wanted to be here … that’s much more important to me than the guys who didn’t want to be here,” Kelly said.

Life in the SEC is loaded with high-end recruits and high dollars in the era of NIL, which Kelly said turns Signing Day into “tax day.”

“Your brand has to be backed up by dollars. If you want to be able to close some of these. We have to have participation from a donor base,” he said, adding a program-building collective is mandatory in today’s landscape.

LSU didn’t come up empty on Wednesday, and Kelly was in a celebratory mood over the addition of five-star cornerback DJ Pickett, who also has the skills and experience to play on offense.

“We believe he is hands down the best cornerback in the country,” Kelly said. “Incredible length at 6-4. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt there’s a lockdown corner, but he is as close as it gets. And, his film on offense might be even better. He’s just elite.”

–Field Level Media