Tag: Richard LeCounte

Tracking UGA football’s NFL Draft decisions

Georgia football’s QB Jake Fromm, LB Monty Rice, OL Solomon Kindley, and DL Devonte Wyatt are among the list of players considering the NFL.

It’s decision time for many of the veteran members of the Georgia Bulldogs: enter the 2020 NFL  Draft or return to Athens for another season. Each players decision is their own choice, but it is always beneficial to a program when veteran players return for another shot at the College Football Playoffs.

So far, Georgia’s right tackle Isaiah Wilson, running back D’Andre Swift, and left tackle Andrew Thomas have declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Kirby Smart and D’Andre Swift walk off the field after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies at Sanford Stadium. Swift’s last game in Athens was one of his best.  Photo courtesy of Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia’s defense is getting a boost with the returns of safety Richard LeCounte and defensive lineman Malik Herring.

College football players have until the 20th of January to determine if they wish to enter into the 2020 NFL Draft. Juniors and redshirt sophomores are the primary players contemplating their NFL decisions.

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Georgia will notably lose the following key seniors as well: kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, defensive tackle Michael Barnett, defensive lineman David Marshall, defensive lineman Tyler Clark, linebacker Tae Crowder, receiver Tyler Simmons, safety J.R. Reed, receiver Lawrence Cager, tight end Eli Wolf, tight end Charlie Woerner, and running back Brian Herrien. UGA is losing several other seniors, who didn’t play as much as this group.

Oct 5, 2019; Knoxville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Richard LeCounte (2) celebrates with defensive back J.R. Reed (20) after intercepting a pass during the third quarter in a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Photo Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports

The rest of UGA’s juniors and redshirt sophomores have yet to reach their decisions. Here’s the most important veteran players deciding on their NFL futures:

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5-Star CB Kelee Ringo makes his decision

The #1 ranked CB in the 2020 class has made his decision on where he’ll be playing college football. Kelee Ringo will join Georgia football.

The #1 cornerback recruit in the nation, and #8 overall player Kelee Ringo has made his decision for where he will be playing college football.  He is now officially a Georgia Bulldog.

Ringo signed early with Georgia, but has kept that a secret approaching the All-American Bowl where he recently made his announcement.

Ringo is a 6’2″ 205 lb CB out of Scottsdale, Arizona.  He was considering Oregon, Alabama, Arizona and Arizona State, but made the decision of making Athens his new home, and the Bulldog community couldn’t be happier to have him.

“I feel like I want to live there for the next three or four years. Just built a great relationship with (coaches) and also my everyday life outside of football is a big factor as well.” said Ringo.

Ringo really emphasized how much he felt Athens was his new home.

Ringo’s size and speed make him a very unique player, as most cornerbacks are typically smaller than 6’2″.  He will compliment the Dawgs senior safety Richard LeCounte very well in coverage, with LeCounte announcing he will be returning for his senior year.

Ringo is now the Dawgs highest rated recruit for the 2020 class and will likely bump Georgia up to the #2 spot in national recruiting rankings, just behind Clemson.  This is Kirby Smart’s 4th 5-star and he still has more circling around the recruiting bubble.

It’s a great day to be a Georgia Bulldog folks.

Georgia S Richard LeCounte returning to school for 2020 season

Georgia safety Richard LeCounte is passing up the 2020 NFL draft to return to the Bulldogs for another season

Another top prospect is opting to return to school for another year rather than making the early jump to the pro ranks.

Georgia safety Richard LeCounte is going back to Athens for his senior season instead of entering the 2020 NFL draft. He announced his decision via social media Saturday.

A big hitter with a nose for the ball, LeCounte has made plenty of big plays for the Bulldogs throughout his career, and likely would have been one of the top safeties off the board this year. Instead, he’ll return to school to refine his game even further, and perhaps improve his draft stock for the 2021 cycle.

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UGA football’s Richard LeCounte reaches NFL Draft decision

Georgia Bulldogs’ safety Richard LeCounte announced he’s returning to UGA for his senior season. LeCounte is forgoing the NFL Draft in order to pursue a College Football Playoff appearance. LeCounte Tweeted his decision: Year 4 Let’s Do It !! …

Georgia Bulldogs’ safety Richard LeCounte announced he’s returning to UGA for his senior season. LeCounte is forgoing the NFL Draft in order to pursue a College Football Playoff appearance.

LeCounte Tweeted his decision:

LeCounte is a play-maker at safety for Kirby Smart and Dan Lanning’s defense. He had a pair of interceptions in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor and finished the season with four total interceptions.

LeCounte additionally forced two fumbles and recovered three. He finished 2019 with 61 tackles and has forced nine turnovers in his two seasons as a starter. LeCounte is the first junior to announce his return.

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Watch: Georgia safety Richard LeCounte ices Sugar Bowl with INT

For the Georgia Bulldogs, the 2020 Sugar Bowl was a sweet victory. Junior safety Richard LeCounte provided the icing on the cake.

For the Georgia Bulldogs, the 2020 Sugar Bowl was a sweet victory.

Junior safety Richard LeCounte provided the icing on the cake with a fourth quarter interception, picking off third-string Baylor quarterback Jacob Zeno to seal the game.

The Dawgs went on to win 26-14 and remain undefeated in their five-contest history with the Bears.

Georgia vs Baylor: Richard LeCounte gets game’s first turnover

Georgia football S Richard LeCounte got a pick and took the ball back from Baylor.

Richard LeCounte just recorded Georgia’s first interception of the new decade.

Midway through the first quarter, with Baylor driving down the field, safety LeCounte located a bobbled pass and hauled it in.

A few plays prior, cornerback DJ Daniel was called for a pass interference, bringing Baylor to the Georgia 26 yard line.

2020 NFL mock draft: Panthers pick Georgia safety at No. 69 overall

LeCounte and the rest of his team will take on Baylor in the Sugar Bowl tomorrow night.

Whoever the next coach of the Panthers is, he’s going to need some fresh blood in the secondary if his defense is going to improve in 2020. Many people are expecting the team to select a cornerback early, possibly as soon as the No. 7 pick. They could also use more safety depth, though. Eric Reid and Tre Boston are a fine starting combination but if either one goes down or doesn’t re-sign disaster could follow soon after.

So, picking up a safety in the 2020 draft makes a lot of sense. In a new three-round mock by Luke Easterling at Draft Wire, the Panthers select Georgia safety Richard LeCounte with the No. 69 overall pick.

LeCounte (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) has played 34 games for the Bulldogs over the last three seasons. He’s totaled three interceptions, six pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles and five recoveries.

Let’s take a look at LeCounte’s college tape.

LeCounte vs. Notre Dame

LeCounte 2018 highlights

 

You can watch LeCounte and Georgia take on Baylor in the Sugar Bowl tomorrow night.

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Georgia football S Richard LeCounte posts epic troll after Tech win

UGA football safety Richard LeCounte posted an epic troll a after the Georgia Bulldogs win over Georgia Tech.

Georgia safety Richard LeCounte played incredible football in the month of November, from breaking up a fourth and short for Florida to recovering a fumble after a great play vs Texas A&M to aiding in holding Georgia Tech to 139 total yards on Saturday.

Following the game, LeCounte posted one of the greatest photos of the 2019 season to Twitter, a picture of him posing in front of Georgia Tech students following the game.

Never change, #2.

 

 

Falcons add Georgia safety in Draft Wire’s latest 3-round mock

After winning their previous two games, the Falcons are unlikely to land Ohio State defensive end Chase Young in the 2020 NFL Draft.

After winning their previous two games, the Falcons are unlikely to land Ohio State defensive end Chase Young in the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the team’s recent pass russ resurgence, it may not be the end of the world, though. Atlanta is likely to focus on the defensive side of the ball regardless of what happens over the final few weeks of the season.

It should come as no surprise that Draft Wire’s newest mock draft has the Falcons going defense with all four of their picks in the first three rounds.

Here’s a look at those four players mocked to Atlanta in Luke Easterling’s latest piece.

1st round (No. 8): Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Jeff Okudah is looking like a better fit as Falcons rookie CB Kendall Sheffield, the former Ohio State standout, continues to shine. Isaiah Oliver had a rough couple of weeks while Desmond Trufant was out, but has looked more comfortable since his return. Okudah is a blue-chip prospect that would immediately give the team another play-maker in the secondary.

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Watch: Kirby Smart, Georgia dance in locker room after clinching SEC East

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart and his players danced in the locker room after beating Auburn and clinching a spot in the SEC Championship.

It was a hard fought game on Saturday night on the Plains, as the Georgia Bulldogs came to town and took down rival Auburn.

It was physicality vs physicality on the field. Two schools who despise one another were going at it all night, wearing each other down with their pesky defenses.

In the end, it was Georgia who prevailed and secured a spot in the SEC Championship for the third time in a row.

Players like Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, Andrew Thomas, Richard LeCounte, etc. can all say they have played at Georgia for three years and have a 100% success rate when it comes to winning the SEC East.

That’s a reason to celebrate. And Kirby Smart, who has now won the East in three of his four years at his alma mater, did not hold back.

I love this team.