D'Andre Swift Compares Himself To Christian McCaffrey

Read more on why Detroit Lions rookie D'Andre Swift compares himself to Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey

It's time for the "D'Andre Swift Show" in the Motor City.

The Lions' 2020 second-round draft pick comes to Detroit with a bevy of expectations, including eventually being able to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

If he does, he'll become the first Lions back to accomplish the feat since Reggie Bush amassed 1,006 rushing yards in 2013.

In the immediate future, Swift is expected to challenge Kerryon Johnson for the No. 1 running back job in Detroit's backfield -- a position battle that will be one of the most interesting to follow throughout training camp.

Swift -- a product of the University of Georgia -- suited up for three seasons with the Bulldogs, and accumulated 20 touchdowns and 2,885 yards on the ground in 43 games.

The component of Swift's game that could really make him a special back at the NFL level, though, is his ability to be a difference maker out of the backfield as a receiver.

It's something that's enabled him to draw comparisons to the Saints' Alvin Kamara and even the Panthers' Christian McCaffrey -- two do-it-all backs that play in the NFC South.

Lions fans would love to see Swift become either of the two, and you have to believe that Swift personally would be satisfied with becoming either back.

In fact, he sees some of himself in the playing style of Carolina's All-Pro runner.

Why, you ask?

"Just because he does everything,” Swift told USA TODAY’s Mackenzie Salmon in a pre-draft interview. “Catch the ball out of the backfield. They put him in space a lot, make a lot of people miss. And I think that’s something I can do really well.”

McCaffrey rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns, and accounted for another 1,005 yards and four scores on 116 catches during a monstrous 2019 campaign.

Swift, meanwhile, accounted for just 24 catches and 216 yards as a receiver in his final season at Georgia a year ago.

While he hasn't been featured as prominently as McCaffrey as a pass-catcher up to this point, he's undoubtedly still been very explosive when given the opportunity to exert his receiver skills.

He showcased that much during Detroit's second day of padded practice Tuesday. He used a quick first step to beat linebackers Elijah Lee, Jarrad Davis and Jason Cabinda in one-on-one drills.

Ex-Lions quarterback and present ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky is impressed with what Swift can do as a pass-catcher.

"He is a very good route-runner, he has very good hands and he has a very good understanding of space and body control when it comes to his route running," Orlovsky told MLive in a recent interview. 

All qualities that Swift shares with McCaffrey.

Orlovsky was disappointed with the Bulldogs' lack of usage of Swift in the passing game in 2019.

He doesn't see the Lions being nearly as opposed to deploying the former SEC standout back as a pass-catcher.

“I just see them utilizing him as much as a pass-catching threat as he’s going to be a run-commitment threat in the run game," Orlovsky explained.

Now, the onus is on Detroit offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to get him out in the open field as much as possible, where he has the great ability to blow by linebackers and other defenders that simply aren't as fleet of foot as him.

Replicating the production of McCaffrey will take more than that, however.

It will demand Swift to be consistently productive as both a runner and pass-catcher -- something that's easier said than done, especially for a rookie.

Lions head man Matt Patricia talked about the importance of that very element of consistency in his media session with Detroit media Tuesday.

“For Swift, obviously I think he’s got a great skill set of what we saw in college, and we’re exploring those different things that he can do -- certainly at our level. And just being out there to do it consistently is a big thing for us right now," Patricia said.

It's something that Swift already seems to understand the importance of, too.

He commented Tuesday that in training camp, he's "just trying to be consistent, put good stuff on film and have good day after good day.”

All attributes that will help him reach his goal of becoming the next McCaffrey. 

And yes, it is indeed an attainable goal for the uber-talented Swift.