S – Richard LeCounte III
Richard LeCounte III was the second best player in Georgia’s no. 3 ranked 2017 recruiting class. So you know expectations are high for him going into his senior year. No one expects more from LeCounte than himself and Kirby Smart.
He takes over as a starter on a rebuilt defensive backfield this week. He was thrown in the fire numerous times last season, and the coaches have worked him like a dawg in the preseason trying to get him to live up to his potential. This Saturday, we’ll begin to see the finished project of a superstar safety that the Georgia coaches have spent a year trying to forge.
CBs – Tyson Campbell, Ameer Speed, Mark Webb
With Tyrique McGhee injured, who is going to star opposite of All-SEC corner DeAndre Baker? My guess, is that we’ll find out next week. This week, sophomores Ameer Speed and Mark Webb, will compete with freshman Tyson Campbell for the starting job moving forward.
Speed was a low ranked cornerback in the 2017 class according to 247 Sports. But he’s been right in the mix with guys who were considered more talented than him coming out of high school.
Webb was recruited as a wide receiver. In fact, 247 had him only 10 spots behind Holloman in the 2017 class. The coaches moved him to corner last year and he received some meaningful snaps.
Campbell is the name everyone thinks of when pondering who the next superstar defensive back is at Georgia. He was the no. 12 ranked player in the 2018 class and he hasn’t cross-trained that much in the preseason. Meaning, the coaches believe he can shine as a cornerback immediately. Which is pretty rare in the SEC. Normally the great corners spend their first years as a star/nickel. Many remain there and carve out a niche that can get them to the NFL.
The three of them will play this Saturday. Webb and Speed might play mostly in the nickel and dime formations. Campbell will likely get most of the plays at corner. Where ever they lineup, keep an eye on them. They’re young players in an area where Georgia has a lot of youth. The next two-to-three years of Georgia’s defensive backfield lies with these three players, plus a few more I didn’t mention.