Georgia Football: Will D’Andre Swift be NFL’s next star Bulldog RB?

D’Andre Swift is the nations No. 1 running back, and if NFL teams are smart they are salivating at the chance to land the Georgia football star.

It’s no secret that D’Andre Swift has exploded onto the scene at Georgia since his freshman year when he had 81 carries for an average of 7.8 yards per carry, racking up 618 yards even with limited carries while also sharing the backfield with former first-round pick Sony Michel and second-rounder Nick Chubb.

Both are now having great seasons in 2019 and Michel recently won a Super Bowl and Chubb forced a highly-touted running back out of Cleveland because the coaching staff knew he was going to be the guy from day one.

There is no one really sharing the backfield now with the junior Swift. He was a 1,000-yard rusher his sophomore year while still sharing the backfield with Elijah Holyfield. Already at 752 rushing yards through five games this season on 110 carries, his yards per carry average is 6.8. The question isn’t how good is he right now but it’s how good can he be? Well I’m about to break down the future first-round pick and show you what NFL scouts are raving about.

The ability that Swift has to run not just outside of the tackles but in between them is what sets him apart. He’s an all-around back. He isn’t just a first and second-down back with his ability to also catch the ball out of the backfield, he’s an every-down back.

Swift is capable of carrying 30-40 times a game should you want to develop a run-only mentality, taking pressure off any young quarterback or even veterans. Or should you want to continue developing a quarterback, the ability that Swift brings for short completions with the potential to break out long yards after the catch are clearly stat-boosting.

His ability to change gears is something that NFL scouts are most aware of. His patience behind the line is one thing thing. Similar to how Le’Veon Bell runs, Swift is not forcing anything, it’s usually a one cut and go — if the cut needs to be made behind the line of scrimmage that is. His vision being clearer than a crystal. Now I know that the game is much faster at the NFL level but having a fifth gear with am almost Walter Payton-esque leg cut is something that everyone has noticed.

You don’t have to be a Dawg fan to respect this young man’s game. He’s clearly the best running back in the country and it’s not close.

The last game against Kentucky said everything that needs to be said. He was the sole reason that the Bulldogs were able to beat the Wildcats in a heavy rain game at home. The outside runs where he exploded for his two scores were enough to seal it as it further proved what everyone knew — he can’t be caught in the open field.

The young man has a great game and it’s only developing as he’s been tasked with being the primary back this season.

The only real flaw I see in his game right now is being a little more physical at the end of the run. Punishing a defender for not only getting his hands on him, but making sure that the defender feels his presence at the end of each run. Being physical is a trait not many have due to size but make no mistake, he’s the total package when it comes to size.

Just a little more physicality and, ladies and gentlemen, the Dawgs will have another year of claiming they are Running Back U.

My prediction is simple. He’s a top-10 pick in 2020 and will be the first running back off the board. He’s potentially a top-five pick.