When D’Andre Swift was healthy in 2018, Georgia football was a much better team.
Following Georgia’s loss to LSU in October, Swift ripped off 100-yard rushing efforts in four of his next five games. He also found the endzone twice against Alabama in the SEC championship game. By the end of the season, Swift had emerged as Georgia’s best offensive playmaker.
And ESPN expects him to fill that role once again in 2019, as it billed Swift as Georgia’s most dynamic playmaker for the 2019 season. ESPN’s Alex Scarborough also teased that we haven’t even seen the best version of Georgia’s talented tailback yet.
“He’s a home run waiting to happen, whether it’s as a running back or catching passes out of the backfield. When he puts his foot in the ground and takes off, he’s gone. (his touchdown against Kentucky stands out),”Scarborough said. “All told, he averaged 6.4 yards per rush and 9.3 yards per reception. And still there’s the sense with him that the best is yet to come.”
Last season Swift led Georgia in rushing with 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also showed he was a capable receiving threat, as he finished with 297 receiving yards on 32 catches. Swift is Georgia’s second-leading-returning receiver for the 2019 season. Given the losses the Bulldogs have sustained at wide receiver and tight end, it would not be a surprise to see Swift take on an even larger role in the passing offense.
Georgia will have to also find a replacement for Elijah Holyfield, who declared early for the 2019 NFL Draft. He rushed for 1,019 yards. Swift could take on a large role in the ground game, though the Bulldogs have a number of viable replacements in Brian Herrien, Zamir White and James Cook.
Related: Zamir White is going to make Georgia football a lot more dangerous in 2019
Swift revealed that he had surgery on both of his groins after the conclusion of the 2017 season. This explained why he got off to the slow start that he did to open the 2018 campaign.
Swift and the rest of the Georgia team will begin spring practice next. Georgia’s spring game will be held on April 20 and air on the SEC network.
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