LSU Tigers: Kendell Beckwith
BATON ROUGE, La. -- With the 2012-2013 school year winding down, the members of the LSU signing class of 2013 should be arriving on campus soon for summer workouts. The Tigers brought in eight early enrollees in the spring and 19 more will come this summer.
Here's how we see them fitting in.
Here's how we see them fitting in.
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This is the fourth in a series looking at players LSU might target in the 2014 recruiting class. Previously, we looked at wide receivers and tight ends, running backs and quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive linemen.
BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU loaded up with linebackers in 2012, so 2013 was supposed to be a light year for linebacker recruiting.
But Melvin Jones, a hulking natural middle linebacker, was too good to pass up, Kendell Beckwith was one of the best players in the state and, at the end, the staff fell in love with Duke Riley's versatility. So in what was supposed to be a light year for linebacker recruiting, the Tigers wound up with three.
And there will be room for more for the Tigers, who will lose seniors Tahj Jones and Lamin Barrow after this season. Here are some candidates:
BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU loaded up with linebackers in 2012, so 2013 was supposed to be a light year for linebacker recruiting.
But Melvin Jones, a hulking natural middle linebacker, was too good to pass up, Kendell Beckwith was one of the best players in the state and, at the end, the staff fell in love with Duke Riley's versatility. So in what was supposed to be a light year for linebacker recruiting, the Tigers wound up with three.
And there will be room for more for the Tigers, who will lose seniors Tahj Jones and Lamin Barrow after this season. Here are some candidates:
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU’s 26-player recruiting class is signed, sealed and delivered.
Well, maybe.
We’ve yet to see where Priest Willis will go or whether Tevin Lawson will accept LSU’s grayshirt offer instead of choosing a conventional scholarship offer elsewhere. And, for that matter, there still might be a scholarship awaiting defensive back Jeremy Cutrer, who did not sign Wednesday because it was unclear whether he will qualify academically.
Well, maybe.
We’ve yet to see where Priest Willis will go or whether Tevin Lawson will accept LSU’s grayshirt offer instead of choosing a conventional scholarship offer elsewhere. And, for that matter, there still might be a scholarship awaiting defensive back Jeremy Cutrer, who did not sign Wednesday because it was unclear whether he will qualify academically.
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ESPN RecruitingNation has signing day covered. Follow ESPNU’s coverage, chat with analysts and get breaking news on our Signing Day Live page beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET through 7 p.m. ET. For more on what to expect on signing day, check out the SEC conference breakdown 
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Bold Prediction for the SEC:
Ole Miss' class will eventually be ranked in the top five nationally with the addition of No. 1 overall prospect Robert Nkemdiche from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson and possibly ESPN 150 prospects Chris Jones from Houston (Miss.) High and Antonio Conner from Batesville (Miss.) South Panola.
SEC East
Florida
Biggest need: Florida wants immediate help at defensive tackle. Jarran Reed from Scooba (Miss.) East should be able to provide that if he decides to sign with the Gators on national signing day.
Biggest recruit: The Gators have two five-star commitments: cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III from Tampa (Fla.) Wharton and running back Kelvin Taylor from Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades. No other school in the country can say that.
Georgia
Biggest need: The Bulldogs would like to pick up another top offensive lineman. They looked destined to land Laremy Tunsil from Lake City (Fla.), but the competition has heated up for him lately.
Biggest recruit: With 12 ESPN 300 commitments, Georgia has plenty of star power. However, it's impossible to overvalue the commitment of Brice Ramsey from Kingsland (Ga.) Camden, a quarterback the Bulldogs can build around.
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Bold Prediction for the SEC:
Ole Miss' class will eventually be ranked in the top five nationally with the addition of No. 1 overall prospect Robert Nkemdiche from Loganville (Ga.) Grayson and possibly ESPN 150 prospects Chris Jones from Houston (Miss.) High and Antonio Conner from Batesville (Miss.) South Panola.
SEC East
Florida
Biggest need: Florida wants immediate help at defensive tackle. Jarran Reed from Scooba (Miss.) East should be able to provide that if he decides to sign with the Gators on national signing day.
Biggest recruit: The Gators have two five-star commitments: cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III from Tampa (Fla.) Wharton and running back Kelvin Taylor from Belle Glade (Fla.) Glades. No other school in the country can say that.
Georgia
Biggest need: The Bulldogs would like to pick up another top offensive lineman. They looked destined to land Laremy Tunsil from Lake City (Fla.), but the competition has heated up for him lately.
Biggest recruit: With 12 ESPN 300 commitments, Georgia has plenty of star power. However, it's impossible to overvalue the commitment of Brice Ramsey from Kingsland (Ga.) Camden, a quarterback the Bulldogs can build around.
BATON ROUGE, La. -- With national signing day two weeks away, LSU is close to the finish line, but the Tigers still have some big names they are after:
Team needs: LSU was decimated on the defensive line by graduation and early NFL draft entrees.
The Tigers will be without six of the nine defensive linemen who played the majority of the snaps, including three potential first-round NFL draft picks, led by lightning-quick speed-rushing end Barkevious Mingo.
Team needs: LSU was decimated on the defensive line by graduation and early NFL draft entrees.
The Tigers will be without six of the nine defensive linemen who played the majority of the snaps, including three potential first-round NFL draft picks, led by lightning-quick speed-rushing end Barkevious Mingo.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU has a couple of players on its wish list visiting this weekend and the Tigers coaching staff will have plenty of help in trying to get them to commit.
While ESPN 150 defensive back Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. HS) and fast-rising wide receiver Kevin Spears (New Orleans/Holy Cross HS) will get the attention this weekend, LSU will also have official visits from a slew of its already committed prospects.
LSU commits Kendell Beckwith, Jeryl Brazil, Rickey Jefferson, Tre'Davious White and Desean Smith are scheduled to come to be in Baton Rouge as well, and they might be joined by a few others. Surely part of their roles will be to convince Goodman and Spears, who both already sport LSU offers, to join them in Baton Rouge.
While ESPN 150 defensive back Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. HS) and fast-rising wide receiver Kevin Spears (New Orleans/Holy Cross HS) will get the attention this weekend, LSU will also have official visits from a slew of its already committed prospects.
LSU commits Kendell Beckwith, Jeryl Brazil, Rickey Jefferson, Tre'Davious White and Desean Smith are scheduled to come to be in Baton Rouge as well, and they might be joined by a few others. Surely part of their roles will be to convince Goodman and Spears, who both already sport LSU offers, to join them in Baton Rouge.
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Louisiana's about quality, not quantity 
January, 15, 2013
Jan 15
7:00
AM ET
By
Gary Laney | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Ask a New Orleans foodie -- and they aren't too hard to find in the Crescent City -- why they think their city is better than other food meccas like New York or San Francisco and you might get told about the random dive test.
Go into a random dive in New Orleans and there's a good chance you'll eat something pretty good. Wander into a random joint in New York, they argue, and it's more likely you'll find a kitchen nightmare than in New Orleans. The point? New York might have more good restaurants because it has almost 20 times New Orleans' population, they argue. In New York, they say, you better know where to go.
In the Big Easy, the good eats have you surrounded.
Go into a random dive in New Orleans and there's a good chance you'll eat something pretty good. Wander into a random joint in New York, they argue, and it's more likely you'll find a kitchen nightmare than in New Orleans. The point? New York might have more good restaurants because it has almost 20 times New Orleans' population, they argue. In New York, they say, you better know where to go.
In the Big Easy, the good eats have you surrounded.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- It didn't take long in the recruiting process before it began to seem like LSU would not keep its most local target on campus.
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To gear up for 2013 national signing day, GeauxTigerNation's Gary Laney will break down every commitment in the Tigers' 2013 recruiting class.
Vitals: Ath Kendell Beckwith, Jackson, La./East Feliciana, 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Vitals: Ath Kendell Beckwith, Jackson, La./East Feliciana, 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
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No matter position, Beckwith a huge 'get'
January, 4, 2013
Jan 4
5:30
PM ET
By
Gary Laney | ESPN.com
Where Kendell Beckwith will make an impact on the football field for LSU is an interesting question to ponder.
An “athlete” in the scout lexicon, the ESPN 150 prospect who committed to the Tigers tonight might be a linebacker in the Tiger’s 4-3 scheme … or he might bulk up and come off the edge as a pass-rushing defensive end, in the Barkevious Mingo mold.
His impact on LSU’s recruiting class, however, is unquestionable. Simply put, getting Beckwith is huge for the Tigers for a number of reasons:
An “athlete” in the scout lexicon, the ESPN 150 prospect who committed to the Tigers tonight might be a linebacker in the Tiger’s 4-3 scheme … or he might bulk up and come off the edge as a pass-rushing defensive end, in the Barkevious Mingo mold.
His impact on LSU’s recruiting class, however, is unquestionable. Simply put, getting Beckwith is huge for the Tigers for a number of reasons:
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- ESPN 150 athlete Kendell Beckwith (Jackson, La./East Feliciana) promised there would be no drama with his announcement, and he stayed true to his word when he put on an LSU hat and committed to the Tigers during the first quarter of tonight's Under Armour All-America Game.
UNDER ARMOUR GAME 2013
Keep up with live blog posts, video, breaking news and more all week from the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida. Blog 
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The top-rated player in Louisiana, Beckwith said that the battle between SEC West powers LSU and Alabama was tough, but in the end the idea of playing for his home-state school was too much to go against.
While Beckwith’s commitment to the Tigers is solid, there is plenty of speculation about where he will play. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he was closer to 240 pounds this week and looks like he could have a future at linebacker or defensive end.
“I’m probably the most comfortable at linebacker in college, especially because they use big linebackers in the SEC,” Beckwith said earlier this week. “In some situations I might need to put my hand in the ground and that could work too.”
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The commitment of Maquedius Bain to LSU on Wednesday made perfect sense.
Bain, the No. 6 defensive tackle in the ESPN 150 and the highest-rated of the Tigers' 24 commitments, figures to play at LSU early. And he'll play a position where the Tigers have a tremendous recent track record for getting players to the NFL. Part of the reason there is a need for defensive tackles in this LSU class (Bain is one of four DT commitments in the class) is the presumed early departure of junior Bennie Logan to the NFL.
If Bain does play immediately, it will continue an LSU trend: Tiger freshmen should come ready to play because many of them will play. LSU used 15 true freshmen in the 2012 season, including four who started and a fifth who was a special-teams starter.
Bain, the No. 6 defensive tackle in the ESPN 150 and the highest-rated of the Tigers' 24 commitments, figures to play at LSU early. And he'll play a position where the Tigers have a tremendous recent track record for getting players to the NFL. Part of the reason there is a need for defensive tackles in this LSU class (Bain is one of four DT commitments in the class) is the presumed early departure of junior Bennie Logan to the NFL.
If Bain does play immediately, it will continue an LSU trend: Tiger freshmen should come ready to play because many of them will play. LSU used 15 true freshmen in the 2012 season, including four who started and a fifth who was a special-teams starter.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The scenario seems strangely familiar. A top-ranked Louisiana prospect will make a decision between Alabama and LSU at the Under Armour All-America Game, which will be televised live at 5 p.m. ET Friday on ESPN from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
Last year, Landon Collins' decision to go to Alabama made for compelling television as his mother, sitting with him during the live announcement, clearly did not approve of his choice.
ESPN 150 athlete Kendell Beckwith (Jackson, La./East Feliciana) says not to expect any drama this year, as his family will be happy with whichever school he chooses.
Last year, Landon Collins' decision to go to Alabama made for compelling television as his mother, sitting with him during the live announcement, clearly did not approve of his choice.
ESPN 150 athlete Kendell Beckwith (Jackson, La./East Feliciana) says not to expect any drama this year, as his family will be happy with whichever school he chooses.
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So, the season's over.
LSU finished playing football before the year even ended with Monday's last-second, 25-24 loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, a downer of an ending to a 10-3 season.
The most disappointing part? It was over before January. The eighth-ranked Tigers were the only team in the BCS top 12 to play before New Year's Day, which is usually the date where the serious bowl games begin. That LSU was left out of the New Year's Day games seemed to put a damper on the whole postseason, a feeling amplified by the result of the game.
Despite that, there's plenty to look forward to in the next five-plus weeks.
It is prime recruiting season, after all.
There will be all-star games, visitation weekends and even an early jump on 2014 recruiting for LSU and its prospects, all capped by national signing day Feb. 6.
Here's what's on the agenda and what to watch from an LSU perspective:
Friday
Under Armor All-America Game: LSU targets Maquedius Bain and Kendell Beckwith will announce their commitments at the game. Targets Robert Nkemdiche, Priest Willis, Josh McNeil, Antonio Conner, Artie Burns and Tim Williams are also playing in the game. Also playing are LSU commits Jeryl Brazil, Greg Gilmore and Ethan Pocic are also playing.
Semper Fidelis All-American Game: LSU commits Jeremy Cutrer and Christian LaCouture will play in this game.
Saturday
U.S. Army All-American Bowl: LSU fans will be able to take a glimpse at the Tigers' offensive future with LSU commits Hayden Rettig (quarterback), Desean Smith (tight end), John Diarse (wide receiver) and Josh Boutte (offensive line) all on the same team. LSU commits Tre'Davious White and Frank Herron are also in the game on defense.
Jan. 12
Boys from the Boot Day: Top 2014 players from Louisiana will be invited for unofficial visits designed to get them familiar with the recruiting process and to jump-start their relationships with LSU coaches.
That will be a huge day for LSU, considering Louisiana, perhaps the nation's most prospect-laden state on a per-capita basis, looks particularly strong in 2014. Among the players who might attend are running back Leonard Fournette, Cameron Robinson, Gerald Willis, Speedy Noil, Trey Quinn and several others.
Jan. 14
Spring semester begins: Early enrollees will begin classes, letting us know what players will get a jump on their classmates with spring practice.
Jan. 19-21, 26-28
Visit weekends: Players who haven't visited yet can set up visits on these weekends.
Feb. 6
National signing day: The culmination of the recruiting season.
LSU finished playing football before the year even ended with Monday's last-second, 25-24 loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, a downer of an ending to a 10-3 season.
[+] Enlarge
Scott Drucker/IntersportLSU fans will get an early look at DL commit Greg Gilmore at the Under Armour All-America Game.
Scott Drucker/IntersportLSU fans will get an early look at DL commit Greg Gilmore at the Under Armour All-America Game.Despite that, there's plenty to look forward to in the next five-plus weeks.
It is prime recruiting season, after all.
There will be all-star games, visitation weekends and even an early jump on 2014 recruiting for LSU and its prospects, all capped by national signing day Feb. 6.
Here's what's on the agenda and what to watch from an LSU perspective:
Friday
Under Armor All-America Game: LSU targets Maquedius Bain and Kendell Beckwith will announce their commitments at the game. Targets Robert Nkemdiche, Priest Willis, Josh McNeil, Antonio Conner, Artie Burns and Tim Williams are also playing in the game. Also playing are LSU commits Jeryl Brazil, Greg Gilmore and Ethan Pocic are also playing.
Semper Fidelis All-American Game: LSU commits Jeremy Cutrer and Christian LaCouture will play in this game.
Saturday
U.S. Army All-American Bowl: LSU fans will be able to take a glimpse at the Tigers' offensive future with LSU commits Hayden Rettig (quarterback), Desean Smith (tight end), John Diarse (wide receiver) and Josh Boutte (offensive line) all on the same team. LSU commits Tre'Davious White and Frank Herron are also in the game on defense.
Jan. 12
Boys from the Boot Day: Top 2014 players from Louisiana will be invited for unofficial visits designed to get them familiar with the recruiting process and to jump-start their relationships with LSU coaches.
That will be a huge day for LSU, considering Louisiana, perhaps the nation's most prospect-laden state on a per-capita basis, looks particularly strong in 2014. Among the players who might attend are running back Leonard Fournette, Cameron Robinson, Gerald Willis, Speedy Noil, Trey Quinn and several others.
Jan. 14
Spring semester begins: Early enrollees will begin classes, letting us know what players will get a jump on their classmates with spring practice.
Jan. 19-21, 26-28
Visit weekends: Players who haven't visited yet can set up visits on these weekends.
Feb. 6
National signing day: The culmination of the recruiting season.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Although it’s doubtful LSU coach Les Miles and his staff wanted a list of players who were missing team workouts made public, it doesn’t appear it will have a negative effect with any of the Tigers’ targets.
Earlier in the week a picture of a sign placed in the window of LSU’s strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit’s office went viral and has been the topic plenty of discussion on the Internet and radio stations.
Several players participating this week in the Under Armour All-America Game here heard about the photo and were surprised when they saw it.
Earlier in the week a picture of a sign placed in the window of LSU’s strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit’s office went viral and has been the topic plenty of discussion on the Internet and radio stations.
Several players participating this week in the Under Armour All-America Game here heard about the photo and were surprised when they saw it.
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ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com