49ers: 7-round defense-only mock 2021 NFL Draft
Safety. Bulldogs . Richard LeCounte. 108. player. 814.
49ers Round 4 Pick, No. 108 Overall: Safety Richard LeCounte
Another addition to the secondary for this mock draft comes in the former Georgia safety Richard LeCounte, a versatile defender who could solve a variety of needs for the team.
LeCounte showed an ability to line up at safety and as a slot cornerback while in college and has the ability to work in schemes that feature either man- or zone-heavy coverages.
He’s not a big kid, standing just 5-foot-11 and weighs just 190 pounds, which does impact his physicality at the point of attack, but his intelligence, agility, and communication skills make him someone who could slide into a dime package as needed.
LeCounte would also be an asset on special teams in both kickoff and punt coverages, a skill he’d need as a mid-round rookie in order to solidify himself on the team.
The good news is that with Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore stepping in as the likely starting safety duo, LeCounte wouldn’t be expected to become a starter overnight. But he would be a better fit for the current NFL than Marcell Harris, whose bruising style of play doesn’t really fit the modern, pass-heavy focus of the league.
A player like LeCounte could mean the 49ers could avoid spending money on short-term answers at safety or in re-signing Harris or Jaquiski Tartt this offseason and allow the youth movement to take over the 2021 secondary.