Tag: Lions draft picks

Georgia Bulldogs on the Lions: Matthew Stafford talks D’Andre Swift addition

Georgia football great Matthew Stafford and D’Andre Swift have teamed up on the Detroit Lions, and the former UGA QB is excited about it.

Matthew Stafford is excited to play with fellow Georgia Bulldog D’Andre Swift on the Detroit Lions this year.

Detroit used its second round pick to take Swift, and Stafford cannot wait to see what he will do in the Lions’ offense.

“As a player goes, he’s a back that can kind of do it all,” Stafford said of Swift in a Zoom call, per detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman. “I think he does a good job out of the backfield catching the ball and making big plays. They handed it to him a bunch and he was doing a great job running with it.”

Stafford, who played for Georgia from 2006-08 before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, knows what Swift is capable of. The two have already trained together as members of the same franchise along with another Dawg on the Lions, tight end Isaac Nauta.

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Swift joins a running back room that includes former Auburn ball carrier Kerryon Johnson and Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough. That’s some pretty legit SEC talent in the Lions’ backfield.

“I think it’s huge,” Stafford said of the Lions adding Swift to their backfield. “In the NFL everybody, but especially running backs, get dinged up and beat up here and there throughout a season, and really throughout games. The more guys you can have back there that can carry the rock and do a good job for you the better off you’re going to be.”

Lions: Kerryon Johnson replies to D’Andre Swift hype on Twitter

Georgia football vs Auburn Tigers has found its way to the Detroit Lions. AU’s Kerryon Johnson tired of hearing about UGA’s D’Andre Swift.

The Detroit Lions selected Georgia running back D’Andre Swift with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Swift will likely get the bulk of the touches at the running back position going forward, even with former Auburn ball carrier Kerryon Johnson, who’s had a solid start to his NFL career, on the roster.

Johnson is a good player, but there’s a reason Swift was taken by Detroit in the second round.

Fans have begun suggesting that Swift is coming for that starting position, but it appears Johnson harbors no animosity toward Swift. He may be growing tired of hearing about it, but at the end of the day they are teammates and it seems he genuinely wants Swift to succeed.

@LionsFanReport, a Lions Twitter fan account, tweeted a photo of Johnson enjoying the beach, coupled with a photo of Swift working with fellow Bulldog and quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The fan account was suggesting that Swift is coming for Johnson’s starting job.

“I assure you it’s scientifically possible to workout and NOT post about it…I’m with the ignorance tho if you wanna get started,” Johnson wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Johnson made it clear that he looks forward to working with Swift, rather than against him.

“Like imma want him to fail so i can succeed? Lmao that’s not how it works…they just don’t understand,” Johnson followed up on Twitter.

Johnson was looking like one of the NFL’s best young running backs during his first two seasons. However, injuries cut both of his seasons short.

At Auburn, Johnson was a problem for Georgia in the Tigers’ home win over the Bulldogs in 2017. In that Auburn blowout, Johnson took 32 carries for 167 yards and had two catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

But the second time around, in the SEC Championship Game, Johnson was playing through a shoulder injury that he suffered against Alabama the week prior. In Georgia’s 28-7 win, Johnson only had 44 yards. It was Swift, though, who led all rushers with 88 yards that game. A freshman, Swift took a 64 yard sprint to the house in one of the most iconic plays of the Kirby Smart era.

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:

 

2020 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions team preview

Everything Detroit Lions fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft

Everything Detroit Lions fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

VITALS

Head Coach: Matt Patricia

General Manager: Bob Quinn

2019 Record: 3-12-1

2020 DRAFT PICKS

1 (3)

2 (35)

3 (67)

3 (85, from Eagles)

4 (109)

5 (149)

5 (166, from Eagles)

6 (182)

7 (235, from Eagles via Patriots)

TEAM NEEDS

Cornerback

Desmond Trufant gives the Lions a solid No. 1 starting cornerback with Darius Slay gone, but they still lack depth and a reliable starter on the outside. Many expect them to draft Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah, either at No. 3 or in a trade-back scenario, for this very reason.

Edge Rusher

Trey Flowers is a talented defender off the edge, but the Lions only got 1.5 sacks out of the edge rusher position outside of him in 2019. Don’t be surprised if they look for some pass-rushing value at some point early in the draft.

Offensive Guard

The Lions signed Halapoulivaati Vaitai in free agency to presumably play right tackle on their offensive line, but they still could use an upgrade from Joe Dahl at left guard. Though this year’s guard class isn’t a stellar one, they could still find a potential starter on Day 2.

TOP TARGETS

Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

A.J. Epenesa | EDGE | Iowa

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