D’Andre Swift | RB | Georgia
Height | 5-9
Weight | 215
Strengths
His last name is fitting. D’Andre is extremely “swift” at getting to the second and third levels of the defense. His footwork stands out above all the traits at his disposal. He can plant, jump cut and then he is off to the races. Swift has often showcased his spin move at maximum acceleration without losing any momentum in the open field. Something that will treat him well at the next level.
Balance, balance, balance. Swift shows good balance when running with the ball with a low center of gravity. It can prove difficult to knock him to the turf with just a shoulder or arm tackles. Defenses will have to find a way to square the back and wrap him up when attempting to bring him down.
In the NFL a running back has to be involved in the passing game to avoid any tells as to what the offense is looking to do. While he didn’t have huge numbers, Swift is an excellent receiver coming out of the backfield. He is just as much a weapon in that aspect of the game. If a defense losing track of the back, he will make you pay once he gets the ball in his hands.
Weaknesses
As with any running back in the class, Swift will need to focus on his pass protecting technique at the NFL level. To be a feature back and a three-down option, protecting his quarterback must be a priority for Swift to make an impact at the next level. He has the tools available so his development in this area should come early on in his NFL career.
Durability is going to be a concern, not just on the injury front. At Georgia he never had more than 220 touches on offense, so a heavier workload will be a concern moving forward. He did play in 43 games over three seasons but he will need ways to protect his body at one of the most violent positions on the offensive side of the ball. Not to mention that Swift does have a punishing run style at times.
Bottom Line
Swift is likely the top rated running back on most draft boards and could be the first one selected in the NFL Draft. Based on how he plays the game, Swift has future New England Patriot written all over him (well, if they didn’t already have former teammate Sony Michel).
Despite the position being devalued over the years, there is a lot of value in taking a back the caliber of Swift with four to five years of control at a lower cost. His play style is very much like current Carolina Panthers do-it-all weapon Christian McCaffrey.
Projection: Top 50
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