Kendell Beckwith to LSU: Tigers Land Top-Ranked Football Recruit

Four-star recruit and the fifth-ranked athlete at Rivals.com, Kendell Beckwith, has chosen to attend LSU.

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Kendall Beckwith commits to…LSU.

— Corey Dowlar/ESPN (@cdowlar) January 4, 2013"

Hailing from Jackson, Louisiana, Beckwith measures in at 6'3" and 228 pounds. Rivals.com has listed his 40-yard dash at 4.7 seconds, bench press max at 320 pounds and squat max at 425 pounds.

Beckwith played quarterback and defensive end, but ESPN's Recruiting Nation has projected him as a wide receiver or outside linebacker. From the ESPN scouting report:

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An explosive, big athlete who can make a significant impact on the game, Beckwith is big and graceful in the open field. He's more of a smooth glider than he is jittery and sudden. His strength and change-of-direction combo are outstanding. He shows good physical play on defense, uses his hands well and could provide playmaking ability on the edge. Has excellent body control and explosion on a big, athletic frame. Does not have elite top end speed, but he is a big, fluid athlete on the football field who needs to find a position at the next level.

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Given his lack of top-end speed, linebacker seems a more realistic projection.

Beckwith led East Feliciana High School to the Class 3A state semifinal against Crowley Notre Dame, where the Tigers lost 16-14. On the year, East Feliciana finished 8-4.

I wouldn't expect to see Beckwith play much early in his career. He has a lot of raw talent, yes, but he'll likely need to learn the techniques and intricacies of a new position.

Unless he's seen as a tailback or fullback at the next level, there will be an adjustment period. He's a natural, powerful runner—so beyond blitz pickup, I wouldn't imagine switching to the running back position would present a steep learning curve.

He runs too upright and is too intriguing as a linebacker prospect, however, he looks as though he would be a great fit as an outside linebacker. 

Beckwith received offers from many of the top programs in the country, including Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee and Texas A&M.