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Lions Select D'Andre Swift with No. 35 pick in NFL Draft

The Lions paired second round pick D'Andre Swift with Kerryon Johnson to form a tough backfield tandem

SI Staff

The Detroit Lions selected RB D’Andre Swift with the No. 35 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Swift played high school football at Saint Joseph's Preparatory School. Swift drew national attention after he turned 149 carries into 1,564 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior with the Hawks

Read More: Lions Draft Georgia Running Back D'Andre Swift 

Playing behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, Swift posted 618 rushing yards (3 TD) and 153 receiving yards (1 TD) during his freshman year. Taking over as the starter, Swift (5-foot-8, 212 pounds) led the Georgia backfield with 2,267 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns during his final two seasons. The former Bulldog star is also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, posting 666 receiving yards and five TD in 43 games.

Swift was a low-end top 32 prospect on the “Player Draft Position” prop option at William Hill with 31.5 over/under odds. He was the favorite, over Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin) and J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State), to be the first running back selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. Swift follows in the footsteps of former Bulldog running backs Chubb, Michel and Todd Gurley as an early-round selection.

Here’s why SI’s Kevin Hanson ranked Swift as the No. 23 overall player on his big board:

With a compact frame, low center of gravity and powerful lower body, Swift is a patient runner with exceptional lateral agility and balance. While he has rushed for 1,000-plus yards in back-to-back seasons, Swift really shines as a receiver out of the backfield.

2019 stats (Junior; Alabama): 1,218 rush yards, 7 TD, 216 receiving yards, 1 TD (14 games)

2018 stats (Sophomore; Alabama): 1,049 rush yards, 10 TD, 297 receiving yards, 3 TD (14 games)

2017 stats (Freshman; Alabama): 618 rush yards, 3 TD, 153 receiving yards, 1 TD (15 games)

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