Whether or not someone is an LSU fan, the roar and magic of Death Valley will always leave a lasting impact the moment a step is taken inside the stadium. For PJ Woodland, though, his “LSU” moment came at an away game in Starkville, Miss.
Woodland, who was attending the game as a three-star high school recruit from Hattiesburg, Miss., recalled it being a dominating performance for the LSU offense. Deep balls and astounding catches were coming left and right. He remembered Jayden Daniels connecting with Malik Nabers for a 33-yard touchdown, but it was not the talent of the LSU offense that stuck with Woodland.
What Woodland remembers most was the reaction surrounding him. He recalled that Mississippi State fans had started rooting for LSU. The Tigers went on to win 41-14 that day, and the atmosphere of the stadium stuck with him, offering him an early look at a program he would eventually call home.
At Oak Grove High in Hattiesburg, Woodland’s athleticism put him all over the field from cornerback and special teams, to being a standout receiver. As a senior in high school, he tallied over 1,300 receiving yards while earning the Mississippi Class 7A Defensive Player of the Year award.
In his early college years, Woodland found more enjoyment in disrupting a receiver than being the one trying to get open. Although he was spending more time on the other side of the ball, he didn’t leave his years on offense behind. Instead, they became another tool. Woodland learned to recognize the subtle movements that can reveal a receiver’s intentions before a play fully develops.
Woodland wouldn’t have to wait long to see how those skills transferred to the SEC level. His first opportunity came as a true freshman in LSU’s 2024 season opener against Southern California. As he lunged into his first taste of collegiate action, Woodland’s debut included both a mistake and an opportunity to respond. After being called for a penalty, Woodland then recorded a pass breakup soon after.
The sequence gave the freshman something more important than a solid debut. It was evidence that he could not only compete at the collegiate level, but proof that he could make a difference for his team.
That ability to respond rather than dwell on the previous play reflects what Woodland describes as a “nonstop, hard-work mentality,” an approach that has become central to his play at one of football’s most unforgiving positions.
At cornerback, mistakes are difficult to hide. One misstep can leave a receiver open and put the result on display for an entire stadium.
Woodland said that LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, one of the nation’s top offensive minds, daily challenges the Tigers’ secondary at practice.
“Specifically for me, I’m not much of a trash talker,” Woodland said. “I just go out there and play my game. But Coach Kiffin, he’ll be like, ‘Hey, we’re coming after you today.’ So, he just has a competitive edge. He just wants the best out of us.”
Woodland’s confidence has blossomed from the support and mentality of the cornerbacks room, led by assistant coach Corey Raymond. Woodland described it as, “Always be ready to outwork the next guy. Whether it’s technique or ball skills, we’re just trying to develop ourselves each and every day.”
That mentality has continued to elevate his game. After 174 defensive snaps and earning two starts as a true freshman, his role expanded significantly in 2025. He rarely left the field as a sophomore, totaling 614 defensive snaps while his pass breakups tripled, and he recorded the first two interceptions of his career.
Through two seasons in Baton Rouge, opposing receivers have found little success against Woodland, as he has allowed just one passing touchdown in coverage. Over LSU's final four games last season, he surrendered just one first down in coverage.
He established himself as a consistent presence in the Tigers' secondary, finishing No. 8 in the SEC in passes defended with 11 and No. 9 in pass breakups with nine. Even as his role and production have grown, Woodland isn’t concerned with the specifics of previous recruiting rankings or statistics.
“You can always get better,” Woodland said, “no matter what ranking you had or how many stars you got.”
For Woodland, improvement has remained a moving target. As an established starter entering his junior season, his role may have changed from the freshman waiting for his first opportunity, but his approach hasn’t. His ready-to-work mindset has carried him here so far, and he plans to continue to utilize it this season within a talented defensive unit.
“We have a lot of structure on defense,” Woodland said. “We’re all very familiar with our defense; the next step for us is finishing.”
Woodland enjoys the challenge of defense and wants to continue to make the Tiger fans proud. His play may very well leave the lasting impact on the nation that he once felt about the LSU Tigers in Starkville.