After Nike’s The Opening this past week, Liberty County football player Richard LeCounte was formally rated as a five-star recruit by 247Sports Wednesday.

LeCounte was a four-star recruit since highlight films emerged showcasing his performances during his sophomore and junior football seasons.
He told 247Sports writer Kipp Adams that he had waited for two years for the opportunity to compete at The Opening. LeCounte said he knew the competition would include some of the best prospects in the nation, but he knew, “I had a chance to do my thing and when presented the chance, I took advantage of it.”

LeCounte made the highlight videos with one-handed picks, batting the ball away from receivers and hauling in several interceptions during The Opening’s seven-on-seven competition.
He said he was glad others recognized his abilities and raised him to five-star status. He added that he feels blessed to be able to call himself a five-star recruit.

According to the news story posted on 247sports.com, 247Sports national director of scouting Barton Simmons was blown away by what he saw in LeCounte at Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, saying, “He may be the springiest athlete in this class, and he’s a flash on the field on the back end. I think he’s physical and active enough to impact the line of scrimmage, and he proved at The Opening that he’s going to affect every ball that is thrown in his vicinity.”

LeCounte has verbally committed to play for Georgia and new head coach Kirby Smart. He committed in December.
LeCounte is now ranked the No. 1 safety in Georgia and No. 2 safety in the nation. He is also the 29th best overall prospect for the class of 2017.