Beckwith, White to return to LSU for senior season

Linebacker Kendell Beckwith and cornerback/return specialist Tre’Davious White will spend another year with the Tigers as the defensive standouts announced Monday they will return to LSU for their senior season.
“These are special guys,” LSU coach Les Miles said in a news release of Beckwith and White. “They have a real fondness and enjoyment for this football team. They are leaders. Kendell makes all the calls from the Mike linebacker spot, and Tre’Davious wears No. 18, which has always been the mark of a leader.
“Decisions like this aren’t easy to make,” Miles added in the release. “These guys took their time, got all of the information necessary to make a real educated and quality decision.”
Beckwith and White join fellow juniors, wide receiver Travin Dural, center Ethan Pocic, defensive end Lewis Neal, defensive tackle Christian LaCouture and defensive back Rickey Jefferson, who previously had announced they are returning to LSU for another season.
“This is a windfall for us,” Miles said in the release of the group of juniors coming back for another year at LSU. “For the first time, we return a big senior class. Anytime that you have a senior dominated team, you recognize that you are going to play with leaders, and guys always play their best year of football when they are most mature.
“This is a great decision for all of these guys,” Miles added in the release. “They are going to get their college degree, and they will all improve their draft position. This is a great day for LSU and our program.”
Other members of LSU’s 2016 senior class, all of which have started at least one game in their career, include offensive lineman Josh Boutte, tight end Colin Jeter, tight end DeSean Smith, quarterback Anthony Jennings, defensive end Tashawn Bower, linebacker Duke Riley, defensive back Dwayne Thomas, defensive back Corey Thompson and kickers Trent Domingue and Colby Delahoussaye.
In his first full season as a starter at middle linebacker in 2015, Beckwith ranked second on the team with 84 tackles, which included 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Beckwith also forced a pair of fumbles for an LSU defense that ranked third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards per game (122.9) and fifth in the league in total defense (347.2).
In three years with the Tigers, Beckwith has 172 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He capped the 2015 season with perhaps the most productive game of his career with eight tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in LSU’s bowl win against Texas Tech.
In 2015, he was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, presented annually to college football’s top linebacker.
White, a three-year starter at cornerback, earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2015 after recording 44 tackles and seven pass breakups.
He also doubled as one of the top punt returners in the conference, averaging 11.4 yards on 20 returns.
For the second straight year, White returned a punt for a touchdown, going 69 yards for a score in the win against Syracuse.
For his career, White has 132 tackles, 20 pass break ups and four interceptions.
He’s also ranked among the LSU all-time leaders in punt returns with 493 yards and two touchdowns on 44 returns.
White has twice been a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, which goes to college football’s top defensive back.