S Richard LeCounte (5.1.21)
On what he offers the Browns as a player:
“I bring a lot of attributes to the table coming to the Browns. I am ready to learn. I am ready to work. I am ready to get to it. It has been an overwhelming process, as you guys know, from my accident in October to now. It has been a long journey. The things that I am able to bring to the table are unmatched. I was able to recover 100 percent, and I am ready to get on a roll.”
On his motorcycle accident:
“It was a scary situation, but God had his hands on me the whole time and was able to shed a lot of light on things that I was not aware of. I was able to calm down, get to it and really go through the hardest stage of my life mentally. Not just physically but going out there every Saturday and watching the guys I call my brothers, go to war without me, that kind of beat me up mentally, but I was able to do it with God, my family beside me and the ones who have stayed true all of my life. I was able to get through it with them, and here we are today.”
On how difficult his recovery process was following the motorcycle accident:
“More mental than anything. It has been quite challenging because coming from thankfully starting every game since I was a sophomore in college to not playing. (Georgia Head) Coach (Kirby) Smart and (Georgia co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers) Coach (Glenn) Schumann kept drilling me and making sure I was there mentally. I was always there. Ever since that accident happened, it kind of did not happen mentally because I was there at every practice, I was there at every meeting, I never missed a special teams meeting and all of the same things were going mentally. Thanks to Mr. Ron Courson, the head trainer at Georgia, I was able to get back and feel like my normal self before I left. That is what really did it.”
On when he started feeling 100 percent like himself again:
“Probably not too long ago. I was nursing an injury. I kind of rushed it back. It was my foot. As I began to pick up speed in my workouts and things like that, I started to feel back to my normal self and I was able to crank it out. By my pro day, I was feeling about 90 percent. I did not do as well as I thought I would do at my pro day, but I was getting back in my groove. Now, I know I am fully back in my groove, and I am ready to work.”
On what he remembers from the motorcycle accident and how that experience has impacted his emotions during draft weekend:
“I do not try to live in the past about it. I just remember after the accident happened, my family driving from Kentucky where my game was, and they had to detour to come to Athens to be able to console me. After that happened, I was good. Like I said, I am ready to work. That is behind me. Thank God that I am here and thank god for everything I was able to do. He opened my eyes to a lot of things. Like I said before, I am ready to go.”
On if he was worried his draft stock might fall because of his injury recovery process:
“I talked to a lot of teams about the situation. I was not really worried about my draft stock. I knew wherever I go, I am able to get out there and showcase my talents. I am so glad that the Cleveland Browns gave me a shot to show what I can do. I can’t wait to get out there and run around.”
On the significance of the injuries he sustained from the motorcycle accident:
“It really was not that bad. Thank God it was not that bad. It was just my foot. I had a little fracture in my foot, and my shoulder just a minor injury that I was able to come back, but I did not want to rush myself back during the season so that is why I shut it down. I was able to recover 100 percent. It really was not anything crazy besides those two injuries.”
On how close he was to playing at Ohio State:
“I will answer the second question first. So close to going to Ohio State. It came down to the wire about that. My best friend (Patriots LB) Raekwon McMillan went there so I was very familiar with Columbus, the coaches and all of the great things that were going on in Columbus. I was almost a Buckeye, but I decided to stay home in Georgia and I felt like either way I would have made the right decision. I was able to do what I had to do.”
On if he had any private workouts with the Browns in addition to his pro day and how he proved to the Browns that he was healthy:
“I guess my Pro Day kind of did it, and I met with them a lot.”
On the opportunity to play in defensive coordinator Joe Woods’s system and incorporating multiple safeties with Ss Grant Delpit, John Johnson III and Ronnie Harrison Jr.:
“I am ready. I see it as a great opportunity to learn from those guys who are in front of me. Grant, Ronnie and those guys, I have been watching those guys. Ever since they came to college, I looked up to those guys. I am able to get in, tap in with those guys and train with those guys and see what I can learn from them just like a sponge. Anything thing that I can from any coach or anybody around the organization, I am willing to learn.”
On his familiarity with the Browns:
“I know (RB) Nick Chubb (laughter).”
On if he is close with Chubb:
“That is my guy. Nick has always been a big brother. Ever since I came to Georgia, he has always shed light on me, just letting me know how to go about things when I was a freshman in college. I am pretty sure he is going to oversee and do the same thing in Cleveland.”
On if Chubb took him under his wing at Georgia:
“Oh yeah, for sure. I was just a knucklehead coming out of high school so he had to. He saw the potential in me, and he helped me, also.”
On if he met with the Browns before the Draft and if he saw the Browns as a potential destination:
“I did meet with the Browns. I am ready to work. Whenever the Browns saw me, I am fired up about whatever. I am just ready to get in and show you guys what I can do.”
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