Richard LeCounte
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Richard LeCounte
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|09|11}}
| birth_place = Riceboro, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 196
| high_school = Liberty County {{nowrap|(Hinesville, Georgia)}}
| college = Georgia (2017–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 169
| pastteams =
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2021}}–{{NFL Year|2022}})
- Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|2022}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2023}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- First-team All-SEC (2020)
| statweek =
| statseason = 2023
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 3
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Interceptions
| statvalue5 =
| pfr = LeCoRi00
}}
Richard Lee LeCounte III (born September 11, 1998) is an American professional football safety. He played college football at Georgia.
Early life
LeCounte attended Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia. As a senior, he was named the 2016 Savannah Morning News Male Athlete of the Year and Football Defensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Dennis |title=MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Richard LeCounte |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/article/20160528/SPORTS/305289861 |website=Savannah Morning News |access-date=March 4, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304080801/https://www.savannahnow.com/article/20160528/SPORTS/305289861 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Dennis |title=2016 Football Defensive Player of the Year: Richard LeCounte, Liberty County |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/news-sports-high-school/2016-12-28/2016-football-defensive-player-year-richard-lecounte-liberty |website=Savannah Morning News}} LeCounte played in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.{{Cite web |date=2016-12-02 |title=From a military town, Georgia commit Richard LeCounte excited about Army Bowl |url=https://usatodayhss.com/2016/from-a-military-town-georgia-commit-richard-lecounte-excited-about-army-bowl |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=USA TODAY High School Sports}} A five star recruit, he committed to the University of Georgia to play college football.{{cite web | last=Tyson | first=Derek | title=UGA's Smart gets first commitment: LeCounte | website=ESPN.com | date=2015-12-13 | url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14358455/db-richard-lecounte-iii-commits-georgia-bulldogs | access-date=2024-07-21}} Lecounte was the very first recruit to commit to Kirby Smart after Smart took the job as the head coach of his alma mater.
College career
As a true freshman at Georgia in 2017, LeCounte played in 10 games and had 15 tackles.{{Cite web |last=Weiszer |first=Marc |title=G-Day is another chance for Georgia's Richard LeCounte to respond to coach's challenge |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/sports/20180417/g-day-is-another-chance-for-georgias-richard-lecounte-to-respond-to-coachs-challenge |website=Savannah Morning News}}[https://www.macon.com/sports/college/university-of-georgia/bulldogs-beat/uga-football/article216742635.html How this Georgia defensive back has handled criticism from Kirby Smart] As a sophomore in 2018, he started 13 of 14 games and led the team with 74 tackles and one interception.{{Cite news |last=Chris Starrs |first=For the AJC |title=Bigger Richard LeCounte expanding his role for Georgia |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/bigger-richard-lecounte-expanding-his-role-for-georgia/y0H125simfrqHsLtaonA1H/ |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} As a junior in 2019, LeCounte started all 14 and had 61 tackles and four interceptions.{{cite web | last=Vance | first=Han | title=It's LeCounte Time in Athens | website=University of Georgia Wire|publisher=USA Today | date=2020-02-16 | url=https://ugawire.usatoday.com/2020/02/16/richard-lecounte-georgia-football/ | access-date=2024-07-21}} He returned to Georgia for his senior year in 2020, rather than enter the 2020 NFL draft.{{cite web | last=Sudge | first=Brandon | title=Georgia safety Richard LeCounte announces decision on declaring for NFL draft | website=Macon Telegraph | date=2020-01-04 | url=https://www.macon.com/sports/college/university-of-georgia/bulldogs-beat/article238967368.html | access-date=2024-07-21}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10+1/2
| weight = 196
| dash = 4.79
| ten split = 1.69
| twenty split = 2.81
| shuttle = 4.49
| cone drill = 7.44
| vertical = 32.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 8
| bench =
| arm span = 31+5/8
| hand span = 9
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=Richard LeCounte, Georgia, SS, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1021778&DraftYear=2021 |access-date=July 5, 2021 |website=draftscout.com}}
}}
=Cleveland Browns=
On May 1, 2021, LeCounte was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 169th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite news |last=Gribble |first=Andrew |date=May 1, 2021 |title=5th Round: Browns select Georgia S Richard LeCounte III with No. 169 pick in 2021 NFL Draft |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/5th-round-browns-select-georgia-s-richard-lecounte-iii-with-no-169-pick-in-2021- |publisher=ClevelandBrowns.com}} He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Links |first=Zachary |date=2021-05-13 |title=NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/21 |url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/05/nfl-draft-pick-signings-51321 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Pro Football Rumors}}
On October 3, 2022, LeCounte was waived by the Browns and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Browns claim G Drew Forbes |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-claim-g-drew-forbes |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} He was released on October 19.{{cite web | last=Mueller | first=Jared | title=S Richard LeCounte III released from practice squad | website=Dawgs By Nature | date=2022-10-19 | url=https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2022/10/19/23413074/browns-richard-lecounte-iii-released-from-practice-squad | access-date=2024-07-21}}
=Los Angeles Rams=
On December 14, 2022, LeCounte signed with the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams.{{Cite tweet |number=1603102066351648768 |user=RamsNFL |title=LA Rams Transactions: • Signed to Practice Squad DT Khalil Davis • Practice Squad Exception DB Richard LeCounte}} He signed a reserve/futures contract on January 9, 2023.{{Cite tweet |number=1612550008045473792 |user=RamsNFL |title=LA Rams Transactions: • Reserve/Future Contracts TE Roger Carter, DB T.J. Carter, DE T.J. Carter, DB Richard LeCounte, T Max Pircher, WR Jaquarii Roberson, WR Jerreth Sterns, DE Brayden Thomas, DE Zach VanValkenburg}} He was waived on August 14, 2023.{{Cite tweet |number=1691148429517271045 |user=RamsNFL |title=LA Rams Transactions: • Waived, No Recall DB Richard LeCounte}}
=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=
On August 22, 2023, LeCounte signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=August 22, 2023 |title=Bucs Add Former Browns Safety Richard Lecounte |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-add-former-browns-safety-richard-lecounte |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Buccaneers.com}} He was waived on August 29, 2023, and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Bucs Cut Down to 53 for Regular Season, Place Ryan Jensen on IR |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-cut-down-53-regular-season-place-ryan-jensen-ir-roster-moves-2023 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Buccaneers.com}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=August 30, 2023 |title=John Wolford, Jose Ramirez Among First 14 on Practice Squad |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/john-wolford-jose-ramirez-among-first-14-practice-squad-2023-roster-moves |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Buccaneers.com}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 23, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Scott |date=January 23, 2024 |title=Bucs Retain 14 Practice Squad Players with Futures Contracts |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-retain-14-practice-squad-players-futures-contracts-2024 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Buccaneers.com}} He was waived on April 24, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Charean |author-link=Charean Williams |date=2024-04-24 |title=Bucs waive CB Richard LeCounte |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/bucs-waive-cb-richard-lecounte |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=NBC Sports}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/richard-lecounte/4733 Georgia Bulldogs bio]
- {{twitter|LilEasy_35}}
{{Browns2021DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LeCounte, Richard}}
Category:People from Liberty County, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:American football safeties
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football players
Category:Cleveland Browns players