Devy Profile: D’Andre Swift, RB Georgia

Rob Willette Posted On August 8, 2017

As Rookie Fever pervades the landscape of a new season, there’s sure to be a dose of Freshman Fever as we close in on the start of the college football season. While projecting true freshman playing time is a foolhardy exercise, you can pick up clues from usage and ink from camp. Despite a comically deep backfield, D’Andre Swift still has an excellent opportunity to contribute early for Georgia and happens to be my second ranked running back in this class. I gush about him incoherently below.

Recruiting

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Swift was the fourth overall back in the 2017 class, per the 247Sports composite rank. His offer list includes the who’s who of college football and his final five included eventual winner Georgia along with Alabama, Penn State, Clemson and Florida State. He committed to the Bulldogs in early September of 2016 and never wavered from his pledge. For his full profile on 247Sports, click here.

Athletic Profile

I’ll avoid inundating you with Swift puns here (though they are tempting) and just focus on the traits. While we do not have a SPARQ score due to incomplete testing from 2016’s The Opening, Swift was an accomplished track athlete in Pennsylvania and possesses impressive top-end speed. His weight room work (hop on Twitter and you’ll see him squatting small homes) speaks to his dedication and is a positive sign he will make athletic gains during the course of his athletic career.

He’s not just a straight-line speedster, however. Watch him work off the line in passing drills and you’ll see light feet and the ability to quickly create separation. A powerful lower-half and collegiate-ready frame are his most important physical attributes and speak to a smooth transition.

What the Film Says

I could spend a day watching D’Andre Swift film. Even in a loaded class of runners, he stands out, offering possibly the best balance in this cycle as well as an innate ability to shrug off tacklers as though they’re a matter of minor inconvenience. His game is predicated on patience and nuance, though if gets a sliver of space, he can quickly accelerate and pop for a big play.

His game is more substance than style. He’s patient in setting up blocks and seldom attempts to bounce runs outside and win with speed. He knows he can outrace defenders, yet shows a maturity not often seen in backs who can dominate the high school level with sheer speed. Despite not shying away from contact, he finds a way to avoid absorbing big hits and instead slides off tacklers or brings the fight to them. This is an underrated trait and while injuries are always fickle, he’s not a back who runs recklessly, even though he runs tough. He should be a tackle-breaking machine in college who seldom goes down on first contact. He’s the type who will litter PFF graphics as his career goes on.

Third down ability

This is where Swift really shines. Swift is not just a running back who can catch passes; he could realistically make an impact as a receiver thanks to natural hands and a talent to high point normally reserved for receivers. The Georgia staff quickly figured out this is an area he excels and has had him taking reps at slot receiver, more evidence Swift can contribute early even as Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and a platoon of young backs behind them scoop up rushing work.

Beyond soft hands, the Pennsylvania product shows an understanding of how to manipulate defenders in his routes and wastes little motion moving in and out of his breaks. Much like Derrius Guice did a few years ago, Swift could have cameoed at receiver during the All-American game and toyed with his peers. Receiving ability is almost a must for today’s backs and it is a trait Swift has in spades.

Bottom Line

Prospect profiles are traditionally glowing with positivity and buzz words and this one is no different. But I am truly bullish on Swift. He checks all the boxes, with a compact and powerful frame and well-rounded skill-set. He was a hyped recruit very early in the process and did nothing but excel every step of the way.

Naturally, his value in the coming years may be tied to how much work he earns in Georgia’s assembly line of gifted running backs. Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are both back, though as seniors they’re only a short-term hurdle. The real challenges will come from rising sophomores Elijah Holyfield and Brian Herrien as well as 2018 mega-recruit Zamir White. I like Swift as the best talent out of the young backs currently on campus in Athens, but neither Holyfied nor Herrien will go quietly. There’s sure to be some sort of timeshare and it could depress Swift’s value.

I’m normally reticent of drafting true freshmen in devy leagues. I value collegiate production and there are an infinite amount of hurdles for young men to eschew as they attempt to climb the pantheon of college football prospects. You also have to take into account the wait time, and you can just never quite get a grasp on if the player has what it takes between the ears to thrive. I will, however, make exceptions if players truly pop off the screen, and it is what Swift has done for me. Early reports from the Georgia beat speak positively of his work ethic and while camp buzz is often just fluff, there are things to be gleaned from it. Even if opportunity is limited, Swift should be a devy staple over the next few years. It would not surprise me if we’re talking about him as a unique, top ten type of asset before long.

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