Decision Day: LSU 4-star DB target CJ Jimcoily
Nashville (Tenn.) defensive back CJ Jimcoily will announce his college choice on Thursday, choosing between a final four of Alabama, LSU, Stanford and Tennessee.
With “Decision Day” having now arrived, LSU holds a firm grip on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). Picks in favor of the Tigers have come in from both On3 National Recruiting Analysts Chad Simmons and Steve Wiltfong, as well as The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon – whose LSU prediction carries a 90% confidence rating.
With 19 commitments in for the 2025 cycle, the Tigers have one safety already committed in Destrehan High 4-star Jhase Thomas. Now, LSU is closing in on a second 4-star safety to add to the current class.
“My decision is made, it was tough to get there, but I am ready and all that is left is to bring it to the public,” Jimcoily told On3’s Chad Simmons.
After making multiple official visits in June, Jimcoily said he used the month of July to go over all his options before settling into a final decision ahead of his senior season.
Jimcoily will announce his choice at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville at 12:00 p.m. CT, with the ceremony set to wrap up around 12:30 p.m. CT.
“It came down to the wire,” he said. “It took a lot of prayer, I looked in my notebook at the pros and cons of a couple of different schools and it took me some time to make my decision.
“At different times, I had a couple of different leaders. I went back and forth. Two schools really made it tough, and a third came on strong late too. I went over the academics, school, and football side and broke everything down.
“At the end, I had to find which school is the best combination of what I am looking for. I thought very hard about it and I made my decision.”
Shea’s Take: LSU should good news on Thursday
I’ve circled CJ Jimcoily as a safety addition in multiple “Mock Class Predictions” on The Bengal Tiger, and with decision day coming, my confidence in the Tigers has only continued to grow.
When I spoke with Jimcoily following his LSU official visit this summer, he said one of the biggest factors was academics following a June trip to Stanford. Jimcoily said the LSU staff was able to present a thorough presentation on how he would balance life playing in the SEC while also pursuing his degree.
The 4-star safety circled his mother as the most important piece to LSU’s official visit weekend, and Jimcoily felt the Tigers did more than enough to convince here of the fit in Baton Rouge being a good one.
“My mom is big on academics and connections and things that come after football, and (LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen) took great care of her on the visit with getting her the resources she needed to help us make a college decision,” he told The Bengal Tiger staff. “My mom, I can’t 100% speak for her, but I feel the connections Coach Olsen brought with academic counselors and my major and all that, it showed how much LSU as to offer beyond football.”
While Jimcoily’s mom is helping him weigh all options, the 4-star safety joked that his father – a New Orleans native with ties to LSU running backs and assistant head coach Frank Wilson – has long held LSU at the top of his list of favorite college teams.
“I have a lot of family in Louisiana given my father is from New Orleans, so we were big LSU fans growing up,” Jimcoily said. “I remember him going crazy watching games on TV, and I didn’t even get it then. Now that I have the opportunity to play at LSU and in Louisiana, it’s insane. The big thing is the family vibe, and with my family in New Orleans, it’s just a great feeling.
“When we talked with Coach Frank, that was a highlight for us for a lot of reasons. My dad went to O.P. Walker when (Wilson) was there as a coach. My grandmother still lives in New Orleans, so we still have a lot of uncles and cousins there. The LSU visit, it was like being around home. And when we met with Coach Frank, that was one of my longest talks.
“He talked about his coaching history and people he’s recruited like Tyrann Mathieu. At one point he had his phone out and turned it around and it was (Joe Burrow’s dad) Jimmy Burrow. It was fun hearing about all the guys who have played there when he was coaching, and he really helped both my parents feel comfortable. With Coach Olsen and Coach Frank, it’s real relationships. Like Coach Frank said, they will take care of you when you go to LSU.”
For me, Jimcoily’s actions and words match up. He’s shown clear interest in the Tigers, the official visit weekend was seemingly a home run for LSU, and there’s not been confidence coming out of any other college campuses in comparison to the impact made by the Tigers.
I’ve made my On3 RPM pick in favor of LSU with a confidence rating locked in at 90%. This is one I see the Tigers getting across the finish line.
LSU has long circled Jimcoily as a top safety target, and with Jhase Thomas on board already, getting Jimcoily in would give the Tigers a pair of 4-star safeties for the 2025 class. From there, LSU can swing for the fences, including buckling in for the upcoming college reveal from 5-star and No. 1 safety Jonah Williams. The Texas native is set to announce on August 24. LSU is also in the top two, alongside Florida State, for Sunshine State 4-star safety Bryce Fitzgerald, who is also being courted by the Tigers as a potential cornerback at the college level. Fitzgerald will reveal his college choice on August 17.
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