SEC dominating the NFL Draft again

The SEC is so dominant in recruiting, college football, and the 2020 NFL Draft. LSU and Alabama have been especially dominant.

The SEC is dominating the NFL Draft once again. In the 2020 version of the NFL Draft, Alabama and LSU are absolutely dominating.

The national champion LSU Tigers had the first overall pick in quarterback Joe Burrow. The Tigers didn’t stop there. In fact, they tied the record for most players (10) selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Alabama (9) has the second most picks in the first three rounds of any school and almost set the record itself.

The SEC is so dominant in recruiting, college football, and the NFL Draft. Year after year the conference produces the most draft picks, picks up the highest rated recruiting classes, and has won 10 of the last 14 national titles.

The Georgia Bulldogs had two first rounds picks in the NFL Draft. LSU leads the way with five first round selection. Overall, the SEC had 15 first round picks, one selection away from having half of the NFL Draft’s first round pick.

The SEC will continue its long streak of having the most players drafted out of any conference. There’s no sign of stopping the SEC.

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What D’Andre Swift’s final college game says about him

Detroit Lions second round pick D’Andre Swift played through pain and risked his NFL Draft stock in his final two college games.

The Detroit Lions are getting more than just a great competitor in Georgia Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift. They’re also getting a great teammate.

Lions coach Matt Patricia and Detroit selected Swift with the 35th overall pick. In Swift, they have an elite player who toughened through a shoulder injury during the final two games of his college career.

After suffering a shoulder contusion against Georgia Tech, Swift fought through the pain to no avail against the unstoppable LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship. The Georgia Bulldogs were vying for a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Fast forward to Georgia’s 2020 Sugar Bowl game against the Baylor Bears. Loads of healthy, elite NFL Draft talent sat out the game for the Dawgs. Kirby Smart and Georgia were embarrassed by their performance in the 2019 Sugar Bowl against the Texas Longhorns.

D’Andre Swift’s shoulder continued to hurt and he was expected to sit, but he elected to play through the pain in a game without any CFP implications. Instead, Swift wanted to be out their for his teammates. He put his body and his NFL Draft stock on the line for one play:

Swift’s act of selflessness helped Georgia grab momentum in the Sugar Bowl and ultimately defeat Baylor. The Bears’ defense bit hard on the fake to Swift. Detroit Lions fans can anticipate Swift to be a great teammate. Swift got to end his Georgia career on a sweet note.

Despite his shoulder injury, Detroit shouldn’t be concerned about his durability. Swift will share the backfield with Kerryon Johnson and only carried the ball 440 times in his college career.

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Georgia and the NFL Draft: Who’s taken? Who’s available?

Looking at which Georgia football players have been taken in the 2020 NFL Draft and who is still available.

With the third round complete, Georgia has had three players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Bulldogs had a pair of offensive tackles taken in the first round. Andrew Thomas went #4 to the New York Giants and Isaiah Wilson was selected at #29 by the Tennessee Titans.

Running back D’Andre Swift surprisingly fell out of the first round but was quickly drafted at the start of the second, going #35 overall to the Detroit Lions.

Then we waited, and we kept waiting. But quarterback Jake Fromm and offensive guard Solomon Kindley, both players who could have potentially been taken on Friday, remained undrafted.

So now we look ahead to rounds 4-7, which will take place on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.

Here’s a look at which Georgia players are still on the board:

QB Jake Fromm:

We thought Fromm may have gone on Friday night. Hopefully the accomplished Georgia signal caller hears his name called shortly. The Patriots continued to tease us, but never did pull the trigger in the third round.

OG Solomon Kindley:

It’s been hard to get a read on where and when Kindley may be taken. When healthy, he’s about as good as it gets.

S JR Reed:

Where’s the love for Reed? He has some of the best instincts I’ve seen from a collegiate defensive back, does not miss tackles and has a nose for the football.

K Rodrigo Blankenship:

If a team does take a kicker, which I suspect one will, it has to be Hot Rod.

WR Lawrence Cager:

If it were not for his injuries he suffered in 2019, I think Cager would be viewed as a third round guy. All he did was make big plays when healthy.

DL Tyler Clark:

He started 35 games between 2017-2019 and was a leader on the defensive line. A key player on college football’s best defense, Clark plays hard and physical.


Projected undrafted free agents:


RB Brian Herrien:

He likely will not be drafted, but whatever team signs him as an undrafted free agent is going to get one of the hardest workers in this class.

ILB Tae Crowder:

Another guy who likely will not be drafted, but Crowder, a former running back, plays nasty.

DL Michael Barnett

6-foot-4, 304 pounds. Barnett played against the toughest competition at a high level for five years.

DE David Marshall

He’s started plenty of games in the SEC. His lone tackle at Auburn was a big one — a fourth-down stop for a loss of 13 yards.

WR Tyler Simmons

Speed kills, and Simmons has it. He has a long ways to go, but he made some big plays during his time at Georgia. Oh, and he was onside.

TE Charlie Woerner

Woerner made some big time plays during his four years at Georgia. He had three catches vs Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

DE Justin Young

He plays scrappy and physical. He was also a leader on the best defense in America.

TE Eli Wolf

Remember this?

 

 

Lions fans, enjoy these D’Andre Swift Georgia highlights

Detroit Lions, you may want to watch these Georgia football highlights of D’Andre Swift, who you just selected #35 overall in 2020 NFL Draft

D’Andre Swift is now a Detroit Lion, hearing his name called with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Swift finished his collegiate career ranking seventh in Georgia history with 2,885 rushing yards.

When Swift committed to Georgia in September of 2016 (in epic fashion), he did so as a 5-star running back out of Philadelphia who ranked as the No. 4 ball carrier in the country.

He knew he was about to join a crowded running back room, with Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Elijah Holyfield all on the roster.

In 2017, Swift burst onto the scene. In a backfield that included two future NFL stars, the freshman still took 81 handoffs for 618 yards as he helped the Bulldogs to the national championship game.

When Michel and Chubb left Athens for the NFL, it was Swift’s turn. Paired with Holyfield, the two formed a deadly duo and rushed for 2,067 yards, with both topping the 1,000 marker.

With Michel and Chub gone, Swift began to show Georgia fans a crazy blend of finesse, speed and power. In 2019, he ran for 1,218 yards and caught 24 passes for 216 yards. He had eight total touchdowns last year.

The sky is the limit for Swift. Lions, you have one job — don’t mess it up.

Lions fans, if you’re unsure of Swift’s abilities check out this video featuring #7’s best runs of his three-year Georgia career.

Video via JustBombsProductions:

 

Georgia players, coaches react as D’Andre Swift goes #35 to Lions

Reactions from Georgia football players and coaches as RB D’Andre Swift goes #35 to the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft.

On Friday night, D’Andre Swift was selected with 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It may have come a day late, but Swift is now an NFL running back.

Twitter erupted when Swift, regarded as the class’ top running back prospect, heard his name called. And rightfully so – Swift is a hard worker, a competitor and a fighter. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and that chip got even bigger when he did not get drafted in the first round.

Some former Dawgs also jumped on to Twitter to express excitement over Swift becoming a Detroit Lion.

Here are a few reactions from some Georgia Bulldogs from Friday night:

Not a Georgia player, but his new teammate Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State, who the Lions at #3 last night.

How former UGA RB D’Andre Swift fits with the Detroit Lions

Read how we see former Georgia RB D’Andre Swift fitting in with his new team the Detroit Lions.

It’s official, Detroit fans.  D’Andre Swift is officially a Lion!

So how does Swift fit into this offense?

Swift received All-SEC honors in 2019, rushing for 1,218 yards and 7 touchdowns on 196 carries, and 24 catches for 216 yards and a touchdown.  Swift is small but compact.  His agility and ability to make such hard and swift cuts (no pun intended) will ultimately be what makes him excel at the next level.

He may be 5-8 but he weighs around 220lbs, and that muscle is mostly in his legs.  His cut backs and explosiveness are similar to those of New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

The Lions finished last season with a record of 3-12-1, after starting the season 2-0-1.  This is partially due to losing their star RB’s Kerryon Johnson, who only played in five games, and Bo Scarbrough, who played in just six.  Swift fits perfectly with the Detroit Lions because they need a quick-cutting, fast back to mix with their power of a hopefully healthy Johnson and Scarbrough.

Swift gets the opportunity to play with Lions QB and former Georgia legend Matthew Stafford, which will be a sight to see for Bulldog fans.

Watch Swift’s junior year highlights here (video via College Films):

Detroit Lions fans, get to know your new RB D’Andre Swift

The Detroit Lions have selected Georgia RB D’Andre Swift with the 35th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now Lions fans, meet your new RB.

Detroit fans, it’s official.  D’Andre Swift is officially a Lion!

Now, it’s time for you to meet your new running back.

Swift is from Philadelphia, PA where he attended St. Josephs Prep and was ranked as the #4 running back in the 2017 college recruiting class.

He committed to the University of Georgia in September of 2016 in dramatic fashion and still remains the most hype college commitment video of all time.

Watch Swift’s 2016 UGA commitment video here:

Swift didn’t choose the easy option. He had an arsenal of seriously talented running backs ahead of him at UGA, including now super bowl champion Sony Michel, and the highest returning PFF graded NFL running back Nick Chubb.

Swift didn’t back down from this challenge, but instead used these players ahead of him as mentors, learning everything he could while he was the #3 or #4 back.

Swift got 81 carries on his rookie season, helping the Dawgs to a Rose Bowl title and nearly a national championship.  He split carries with Elijah Holyfield in his sophomore season, tallying over 1,000 rushing yards in a breakout year.

Swift now is coming off his junior year at Georgia, putting up the 7th all-time most rushing yards (2,885) in school history in his three years there.

Watch the shiftiest RB in the draft’s highlights here (Video via JustBombsProductions):

Twitter reacts: D’Andre Swift goes #35 to the Lions

Twitter reacts as the Detroit Lions take Georgia football RB D’Andre Swift with the 35th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

And there it is!

After not being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Georgia running back D’Andre Swift heard his name called with the 35th overall pick by the Detroit Lions.

Swift had been regarded as the top back in the draft all offseason, but the Chiefs went with LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the first round.

But now, Swift’s dreams have officially come true as he is a member of the Detroit Lions, where he will team up with former Georgia quarterback and 2009 #1 overall pick Matt Stafford.

Here are some Twitter reactions:

https://twitter.com/Support_UGA/status/1253827729281019904?s=20

 

The Detroit Lions select Georgia Bulldogs RB D’Andre Swift

The The Detroit Lions have drafted University of Georgia running back D’Andre Swift with the 35th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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And with the 35th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the The Detroit Lions select D’Andre Swift, running back from the University of Georgia.

It has been D’Andre Swift’s dream his entire life to hear his name called on NFL draft day, and that dream has finally come true.

Swift finished 7th all-time in rushing yards in school history during his three years playing for the Bulldogs.  He helped lead the Dawgs to a Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and an SEC Championship.

An incredible pick by the Detroit Lions that will provide them with a franchise caliber running back and be an offensive catalyst, hopefully for years to come.

Swift was originally the favorite to be the first RB selected off the board, but in stunning fashion the Kansas City Chiefs selected LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the first round.

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit had some great things to say about the Philadelphia native prior to draft day.

“I think he’s a three-down guy, which is what the NFL is always looking for,” Herbstreit said. “Can he run between the tackles? Can he catch the ball on the perimeter and make people miss? I think those of us who have followed his career know he can be that type of guy. He’s not necessarily a blazer, but he’s incredibly quick and can catch the ball. I think he’s the total package, and I’m interested in seeing where he goes and how he fits in as well.”

Congratulations to D’Andre on an amazing accomplishment that came from nothing but hard work and dedication!

We wish him the best of luck in Detroiu.

NFL comparisons for Titans OT Isaiah Wilson out of Georgia

We list NFL comparisons for former Georgia football and now Tennessee Titans OT Isaiah Wilson.

The Tennessee Titans selected Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson with the 29th pick in the first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Wilson was an All-American as a freshman right tackle at Georgia and was bothered by injuries in his sophomore season. At 6-foot-7 340 pounds, Wilson is one of the largest tackles in this years draft.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote:

“Big, broad right tackle prospect with outstanding physical traits and above-average potential.”

To get an idea on how Wilson will preform at the NFL level, let’s look at two pros that Wilson’s game most resembles.

1. Demar Dotson – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dotson (6’9″, 315 lbs) is one of the largest tackles in the NFL, but what resembles Wilson the most is his length. Both Wilson and Dotson are able to use their length to keep the pocket clean for their quarterbacks by forcing rushers out wide. 

2. Lane Johnson – Philadelphia Eagles

During Wilson’s career at Georgia, he excelled in run-blocking because of his footwork at his size. One of the best run-blocking tackles in the NFL, Johnson uses his footwork to turn the edge defenders which seals the gap and he also does a great job advancing to the second-level.

The Titans’ offensive line was already one of the best units in the NFL and after drafting Wilson, that trend should continue for years to come.