Richard LeCounte Labeled Top-5 Safety
Former Georgia Bulldog safety Richard LeCounte hasn’t seen his name among the top safety prospects in this pre-draft process. Following his senior season being cut short due to a motorcycle accident, and a rather poor showing at the Georgia Pro Day, LeCounte's NFL Draft stock has seemingly plummeted.
However, his evaluation has always been game-tape oriented, and one media outlet is still rather hopeful on the upside that LeCounte put on tape for three and a half seasons as a starter in the SEC.
Sports Illustrated's NFL Draft Bible has released their 2021 positional rankings for the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. They ranked the top 25 prospects at each position and gave them a grade based on how the Draft Bible evaluated them.
LeCounte was given a current-player grade of 6.9, meaning that from Day 1 they expect him to make a team and be at the bottom of an NFL roster. LeCounte is graded as one of the highest safeties in the long run, giving him a potential player grade of 8.8.
An 8.8 potential grade means that they regard him as a long-term solid starter in the NFL. For those who watched him every Saturday at Georgia, this is no surprise. What LeCounte doesn’t bring to the table in measurables he more than makes for in instincts and football awareness.
At the moment, he is graded as a Dat-2 pick, going in the fourth round in most expansive mock drafts. While the spot will be low for LeCounte, there is a possibility that he sees the field early in his NFL career, perhaps even on special teams. He has NFL instincts at this moment and could be rotational depth for a playoff team if need be.
LeCounte does have room to improve in the NFL, but provides a unique skill set for an NFL rookie. He is a sure tackler and runs the alley better than any safety Georgia has had in the last decade, making him an extremely valuable asset in run support.
LeCounte actually had the second-highest potential grade of anyone on the list, only behind Richie Grant, the No. 1 safety on SI’s board, grading Grant with a 9.0 potential, meaning that they view him as a future All-Pro.
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