D'Andre Swift (RB, DET) - Rookie Running Back Draft Values

4 years ago by Antonio Losada

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TESTING NEW WIDGET hide

BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~42 Overall

CURRENT ADP: ~60

ANALYSIS: Swift has the best chance of the 2020 rookie backs to overtake Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the top spot in the best-newcomer leaderboards. He spent three years at Georgia, amassing 2,885 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in his career as a Bulldog. His career 6.6 yards per carry ranks ninth in SEC history. He comps to Miles Sanders as a smaller, shifty back who's above-average in the receiving game. He caught 73-of-89 (82%) targets for 666 yards and five touchdowns through the air and that skill should easily translate to the pros.

WalterFootball.com has Swift as the top back in the class, mentioning phrases such as "future three-down back with Pro Bowl potential" and "some teams think Swift could be used like Alvin Kamara in the NFL." You might be on WF's thinking train or you might not, but one thing is clear: Swift is here to stay.

Now, it also must be acknowledged that Swift enters the league in a bit of an uncertain situation in Detroit as the Lions have oft-injured and unproven Kerryon Johnson slated to begin the year as the two-down starter. Swift should have a role as the third-down back right away, but this is another situation where it's likely that Swift's talent wins out and he claims the starting role for himself sooner rather than later. Johnson's yards per carry dropped from 5.4 in 2018 to a putrid 3.6 in 2019 and the Lions are clearly eager to get Swift involved as they selected him with the third pick in the second round.

Right now Swift is the RB24 getting off draft boards, which seems reasonable if you consider his potential full season as a whole, but which could be a true bargain if he showcases his ability soon enough. That's why you can forget your worries about overvaluing or overpaying for Swift drafting him a little bit earlier. There is a little bit of a risk involved, sure, but chances are he breaks the expectations and ends the year as a true RB1 in Detroit.