Former UGA running back D’Andre Swift was the second running back off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft behind LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He was taken as the third pick of the second round by the Detroit Lions, joining former Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford.
Detroit selected the former Georgia standout, who has a very versatile skill set for a running back. And according to Pro Football Focus, Swift is expected to have a stellar rookie season with the Lions. PFF projects Swift to be the third-leading rusher from the NFL rookie running back class.
Strangely enough, the two guys who were selected behind him are projected to out rush him. PFF has former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, who was taken No. 41 overall by Indianapolis at No. 1, and former FSU running back Cam Akers, who was taken No. 52 overall by Los Angeles at No. 2.
Taylor is projected to rush for 858.4 yards while Akers is supposed to run for 829 yards. Swift is projected to rush for 727.6 yards during his rookie campaign. Like Swift, Taylor is entering a city where the team already has an established running back on the roster. Taylor will join the Colts who already have Marlon Mack, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2019. Swift will join forces with former Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson, who has been impressive when healthy during his first two seasons in the NFL. The Rams already have Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson after former Bulldogs’ running back Todd Gurley left for Atlanta, but neither rushed for over 250 yards last season.
Swift was Georgia’s running back for the past three seasons where he totaled 2,885 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He was the team’s leading rusher over the past two seasons, gaining 1,049 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018, and 1,218 yards and seven scores in 2019. During his freshman season in 2017, he amassed 618 yards and three touchdowns. Which was impressive because he sat third on the depth chart behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, both of whom ran for over 1,200 yards that year.
There’s also some context too behind those 1,000 yards seasons in 2018-19. During the 2018 season, Swift battled a groin injury that limited his mobility and he also split carries with Elijah Holyfield, who was another 1,000 yard rusher that season. Despite that, he was still able to join Herschel Walker, Chubb, Michel, and Knowshon Moreno to put up multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
Swift signed with UGA as a five-star and the nation’s No. 33 overall prospect per the 247Sports Composite. The Philadelphia, PA., native became an instant superstar in 2017 with his flashy ability to run the field. In fact, one of his biggest runs of his career came in the 2017 SEC Championship game against Auburn, where put the nail in the coffin with a 64-yard score to give Georgia a three touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.
Here are some of Swift’s highest-graded runs as a Bulldog: