On a night when he played only two quarters, Kendell Beckwith still managed to steal the show against Richwood High.

Beckwith is the No. 1-ranked high school football player in Louisiana according to ESPN, and with one look at him, it’s easy to see why. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Beckwith towers over his East Feliciana teammates.

LSU, along with Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, is in hot pursuit to clinch a commitment from Beckwith for the 2013 season.

“Both LSU and Alabama are high on my list,” Beckwith said. “I’ll definitely be there when they play in November.”

Beckwith lines up on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, playing defensive end and quarterback, a combination that most players wouldn’t dream of playing.

“Yeah I guess it’s pretty unique,” Beckwith said. “I just do what I can to help the team.”

Most schools are looking for Beckwith to play exclusively on defense at the next level, according to ESPN.

“I feel more comfortable on the defensive side of the ball,” Beckwith said. “The attacking nature of it, I feel it fits my style better.”

His attacking nature was on display on a first-quarter drive by Richwood. Beckwith exploded off the ball, quickly disengaged from the offensive linemen and sacked the quarterback for a 6-yard loss.

“I just try to force as much pressure as I can every play,” Beckwith said. “Sack or not, I want to be in the backfield making things happen.”

Beckwith said he has a strong support system around him to help him through the process of being a highly sought-after recruit.

“I try not to let it get to me too much,” Beckwith said. “My family has been extremely supportive around me, so I’m just taking it one step at a time.”

In the second quarter, Beckwith aggravated a left-shoulder injury that he suffered in last weekend’s game against Zachary.

The pain didn’t stop him from playing overtime and rushing for the game-winning touchdown, a bruising 4-yard rush that saw Beckwith push the pile into the end zone. The play left Beckwith with a hanging arm, but he had secured the victory.

“It’s just a deep shoulder bruise,” Beckwith said. “It wasn’t going to keep me from going out there and helping my team.”

With his combination of speed and size, Beckwith would be a dynamic addition to a defensive line that’s expected to lose two of its starting defensive ends in the NFL draft.

“Wherever I end up, I’ll give 100 percent,” Beckwith said. “That’s just the kind of player I am.”