Most NFL stars assume their college program will forever protect their legacy, a luxury Jayden Daniels no longer enjoys at LSU. Despite delivering a legendary two-year run capped by a Heisman Trophy, LSU handed his iconic No.5 jersey to five-star recruit DJ Pickett for 2026. Disrespected, Daniels’ legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter to LSU’s athletic director. LSU’s response? Petty payback. During Saturday’s weather-delayed season opener against Clemson, Baton Rouge played a jumbotron video showcasing former LSU stars in the NFL. Daniels was noticeably erased.

TigerBait.com’s Preston Guy shared the video on X.

LSU’s traditional “NFLSU” pregame hype video is designed to showcase its legendary NFL pipeline. As Tiger Stadium roared, the big screen flashed heavy hitters like Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Malik Nabers, Will Campbell, Patrick Queen, Mansoor Delane, and Garrett Nussmeier. Missing from that star-studded roll call? The guy who brought home a Heisman Trophy and went No.2 overall to the Washington Commanders.

It was a glaring omission for a quarterback who posted a 20-6 record over 26 starts, becoming the first player in NCAA history to smash through 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. Resume-wise, Daniels earned his place among Baton Rouge royalty. But LSU never officially retired his No.5. Instead, they held it unassigned until Pickett came along. While Pickett wore No. 3 previously, reports confirmed he was spotted taking snaps in Daniels’ old No. 5 at practice, signaling a permanent switch.

To Daniels’ camp, giving away his number was a direct slap in the face. LSU maintained it was simply keeping a promise to a prized recruit. The breaking point came on August 5, when Daniels’ attorney fired off a cease-and-desist letter to Athletic Director Verge Ausberry, officially stripping LSU of the right to use his name, image, and likeness.

“Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected,” his spokesperson said. “His Heisman Trophy-winning season and everything he accomplished on and off the field cemented his place in LSU history.”

An LSU athletic department spokesman declined to comment when reached by ESPN. Even first-year head coach Lane Kiffin says his hands are kind of tied here. He explained that Pickett was promised the number during recruiting, before Kiffin even took the job, and he’s choosing to honor that.

“When a kid is promised something to come to a school, he should wear it,” Kiffin said. “So at that point, I don’t think that’s really my decision. We should honor what he was told.”

Back in Zephyrhills, Florida, DJ Pickett built his reputation wearing No.5 as the nation’s top cornerback prospect. His commitment was a massive win for an LSU program desperate to restore its “Defensive Back University” pedigree. Pickett wasted no time backing up the rankings, delivering an elite freshman campaign with 37 tackles, 3 picks, and 2 sacks to claim On3’s Defensive True Freshman of the Year honors.

Former head coach Brian Kelly had sweetened Pickett’s recruitment by promising him No.5, but temporarily shelved the move when Daniels objected. However, the dynamic shifted once Lane Kiffin took charge. Facing the loss of premier corner Mansoor Delane to the NFL Draft, Kiffin knew his top priority was keeping Pickett anchored in Baton Rouge. So he got what he was promised. Moreover, LSU openly boasted about the move. Pickett wore the jersey in the opener against Clemson, despite the cease-and-desist letter.

“I’ve worn the number my whole life, since I was 4 years old,” Pickett said earlier in August. “It’s the number I was promised [by LSU]. I wish Jayden the best. Good player, and he did real good here [at LSU]. So that’s all.”

Since then, Daniels has sort of become a controversial figure at Baton Rouge. And fans didn’t hesitate to criticize him for the move.

Fans turn on their Heisman hero in Death Valley

Long before the video played, tension was already boiling online. The university’s social media team fueled the fire during their Clemson game countdown by skipping the number five entirely, playfully posting “4+” instead. By Saturday morning, the hostility went viral on College GameDay when a 7-year-old fan in a No.5 jersey held up a sign that read: “Jayden, don’t sue me. I’m only 7.”

Inside Tiger Stadium, fans erupted in cheers as DJ Pickett’s name was called at Kickoff. But the real turning point came later. Though Daniels was omitted from the main pregame montage, his face briefly flashed on the big screen during a separate “NFLSU” segment, and the stadium let him hear it. A chorus of loud boos echoed through the crowd, officially cementing an ugly fallout between the program’s third Heisman winner and his former fanbase.

The irony? Former coach Brian Kelly originally held off on giving Pickett the number simply because Joe Burrow’s iconic No. 9 had remained untouched since 2019, and Kelly wanted to consult Burrow first before handing out another Heisman winner’s digit. But under Lane Kiffin, keeping a prized cornerback took priority over past protocol.

Legally, LSU holds all the cards. According to the athletic department’s official policy, any number retired after Jan. 1, 2007, “does not preclude a current student-athlete in that sport from wearing the jersey number in that or any other sport, subject to the discretion of the head coach.” In fact, the legendary No. 20 worn by 1959 Heisman winner Billy Cannon remains the only jersey in program history completely off-limits to future players.