ATHENS — Richard LeCounte’s mother, Erika LeCounte, probably described it best when, addressing the Georgia state legislature last month, she told that august body to be praying for her son as he was preparing for “the biggest job interview of his life.”
That’s the truth. LeCounte will be among about a dozen Bulldogs working out for NFL scouts Wednesday at UGA’s Pro Day. An annual exercise this time every year, it’s particularly important for all involved in 2021 as there was no NFL Combine last month due to the pandemic. So, NFL executives are compiling all their data off campus visits.
Expected to show their wares Wednesday are defensive backs Tyson Campbell, D.J. Daniel, Eric Stokes, Mark Webb and LeCounte; offensive linemen Ben Cleveland and Trey Hill; defensive lineman Malik Herring (recovering from knee surgery); tight end Tre McKitty; outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari; and inside linebacker Monty Rice.
There had been talk that Georgia’s opted-out, transfer quarterback Jamie Newman might also work out with the Bulldogs. However, word now is he’ll do that at Wake Forest, his last school, instead. Probably for the best.
Ojulari, a redshirt sophomore from Marietta, probably will draw the most scrutiny. Georgia’s sack leader is drawing a lot of first-round grades. Not far behind, though, are Campbell and Stokes.
There is much national buzz about the true speed of the Bulldogs’ starting cornerbacks of the last two seasons. Stokes already caught the NFL’s attention when he ran a laser-timed 4.25-second 40-yard dash at a combine-like event in Florida last week. Scouts are eager to see if Stokes can replicate that under their conditions at Georgia’s Payne Indoor Athletic Center. Meanwhile, they’re getting word that Campbell could be almost as fast.
The duo has drawn the attention of NFL.com’s David Jeremiah, who is monitoring all the pro days nationwide to see who is this year’s fastest draft candidate and if anybody can threaten the all-time combine record of 4.22. Jeremiah reports that the fastest so far is Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II, who clocked a 4.31 and got an official 4.38 at his pro day already.
Others who could threaten Stokes and Campbell for fastest of the 2021 draft include Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz (who runs Thursday), Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle (who may or may not run on March 23), Louiville’s Tutu Atwell (March 30) and LSU’s Kary Vincent (March 31).
Anything under 4.3 seconds could mean more money in the pockets of these two Georgia burners, currently projected as second-rounders.
Also, Cleveland claims he’s in position to go after the NFL Combine bench-press record of 49 reps of 225 pounds. To even come close would be notable.
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