B/R Recruiting Breakdown: 4-Star Georgia RB Commit D'Andre Swift

Each week, Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue analyzes a different prospect based on in-person evaluation and intensive film study. Here's our latest scouting report of a promising young athlete and how he projects as a college player.

Philadelphia running back D'Andre Swift landed on the college football recruiting radar early in his high school career, earning scholarship offers from schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Penn State, Tennessee and Florida State before the start of junior year.

He narrowed university options down to five schools—Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Penn State—leading to a Sept. 1 announcement. Swift elected to head south for a collegiate career, pledging to Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart via Bleacher Report video:

He proceeded to cap off an accomplished stretch at St. Joseph's Prep with a career-best 1,564 rushing yards in 2016, according to Rick O'Brien of Philly.com. Swift added 405 receiving yards, tallying 34 total touchdowns in 14 consecutive victories.

This season marked the third straight in which Swift surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground, per 247Sports. He accounted for 78 offensive scores as a high school standout, securing 109 receptions to establish himself among America's most dangerous all-purpose backs. 

Swift, a two-time invitee to The Opening, figures to play a prominent role in Georgia's efforts to rise up the SEC food chain in coming years. Here's a closer look at what makes him such a tough cover for opponents.

The Basics

High School: St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)

Size: 5'9 ½", 214 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Georgia on Sept. 1, 2016

Prospect Assessment

• A threat to go the distance from any spot on the field. His penchant for explosive plays was on display as a runner (10.5 yards per carry) and receiver (19.3 yards per reception) in 2016.
• Swift finished his prep career playing at the highest level, racking up 767 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in three final playoff wins.
• St. Joseph's Prep head coach Gabe Infante on Swift's sensational postseason performance, via Philly.com's O'Brien: "He did some freakin' scary stuff out there."
• He's maintained quickness while adding approximately 10 pounds of muscle during the past year, developing into quite a different specimen than the player we first encountered at a St. Joseph's Prep home game in September 2014.
• This added mass makes Swift a growingly balanced force out of the offensive backfield, creating a blend of physicality and finesse that few 2017 running backs feature. 
• Powerful lower body complicates solo tackling efforts, as Swift continues to churn through contact and routinely surges past the grasp of defenders who lack balance. 
• Excellent anticipation off the snap; surveys traffic upfield and adjusts upon handoff as necessary to avoid early contact.
• Builds up steam as he reaches the second level; can gain strides on linebackers and defensive backs with lateral agility or north-south burst. 
• Exploits defensive lapses by shredding toward seams with a low center of gravity; these efforts are enhanced by precise footwork that limits wasted movement and deceleration. 
• Among the most effective receivers in the 2017 running back class; capable of operating out of the backfield but particularly impressive when firing off from a slot setting.
• Swift embraces the possibility of playing beyond running back, telling B/R: "I think [receiver] can be a good role for me at times so we're able to create mismatches against the defense. That's something I work on every day. I'm an athlete, and I want to make the most out of my talent."
• He averaged 15 yards per reception while recording more than 100 catches as a prep player, reaching the end zone 14 times via aerial targets.
• This pass-catching prowess puts him in position to challenge for early reps in Athens while established veterans carry the rushing load next season.

Swift showcased a combination of straight-line speed, power and agility during his dominant run at St. Joseph's Prep, and the following sequence serves as an example of how lethal these attributes can be for a defense. 

This rushing attempt is designed for him to find a lane off the outside shoulder of his right guard, which he locates and hits with a strong cut upfield. The offensive line does a solid job eliminating their defenders from this fray, but Swift must work some magic in order to turn a modest attempt into a major gain.

He encounters a defensive end—one of four defenders with a shot at him here—while weaving out of the trenches. Swift plows forward, hardly affected by an arm-tackle attempt:

YouTube/Under The Radar Highlights

He emerges into the second level to instantly encounter a surging safety who has a straight shot at a significant hit. Swift instead sidesteps him with a sharp cut toward his left and remains unscathed:

YouTube/Under The Radar Highlights

His next lateral shift is even more devastating. Swift, still accelerating after his most recent cut, implements a shoulder shake that projects a targeted course to his right.

Instead, it's another dash to the left, leaving two opposing defenders to collide with each other. With a blocker out front, Swift then turns attention toward a lane along the sideline and sprints ahead for the final stretch of a 50-plus yard score:

YouTube/Under The Radar Highlights

We'll turn to a few highlights from The Opening—event footage from both this past summer and July 2015—to further illustrate his well-rounded skill set as a receiver. Expect him to elevate as an important cog in any collegiate passing game. 

Long-Term Outlook

The anticipated return of Georgia running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel—former 4-star and 5-star recruits, respectively, who will be seniors next season—presents an opportunity for Swift to learn behind a pair of accomplished players while working through drills and playbook studies. He is physically prepared to participate in an SEC offensive attack, but there won't be pressure to thrust him into immediate action. 

Impressive receiving skills should enable Swift to vie for consideration on passing downs, though freshmen Brian Herrien and Elijah Holyfield will also factor into the equation as Smart carves out a running back rotation for 2017 and beyond.

Swift, a bell-cow back throughout much of his high school career, won't require high-volume targets to make an impact in Athens. His big-play potential can help the Bulldogs build offensive momentum on any carry or catch, and 10-plus touches per game by the start of his sophomore season isn't out of the question.

He is primed to play a pivotal role in Georgia's burgeoning attack. The Bulldogs have assembled elite stables of talent at multiple positions on that side of the ball, including running back, and Swift should initially serve as a consistent supplemental weapon while making a case for eventual primary duties.

Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Quotes and observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Prospect ratings courtesy of Scout.

Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.