2020 NFL Draft: D'Andre Swift or bust for running back picked in first round?
Could Round 1 of the NFL Draft be free of running backs on Thursday night? It's likely to be Georgia's D'Andre Swift or bust.
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The last time no running back was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft was in 2014. The top two that year were Washington's Bishop Sankey at No. 54 overall to the Titans and LSU's Jeremy Hill one spot later to the Bengals. Sankey was a mega-bust, while Hill had a couple of good years and both are long out of the league. It's quite possible that there will not be a first-round running back on Thursday night in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft, either, with the most likely player being Georgia's D'Andre Swift.
When looking at the various CBS Sports mock drafts, very few have Swift going in Round 1 – one has him at No. 32 overall to the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay also have Swift going to Kansas City. On the CBS Sports Big Board, Swift is ranked as the No. 42 overall player and No. 2 running back behind Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor (No. 24).
However, William Hill oddsmakers disagree with that order. Swift is given an Over-Under draft position of 30.5 (both -110) and Taylor 37.5 (Over a -130 favorite). Swift is also the -175 favorite to be the first tailback off the board with Taylor at +200.
Swift ran 196 times for 1,218 yards and seven scores last year. Taylor was much better, as he carried 320 times for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns. He had one of the best NCAA careers of any tailback ever. Taylor was the first player in FBS history to rush for 6,000 yards in three seasons and won two Doak Walker Awards. The worry of scouts is that he has SO many carries: 926 to be exact.
The Over-Under for first-round running backs is 0.5, with the Over a -170 favorite. Team simply don't value running backs like they used to – the only first-round back in 2019 was Josh Jacobs to the Raiders, and that turned out to be a very good pick.
Maybe there is a decent chance the Chiefs do take Swift at No. 32 overall, but I'm not willing to put ally eggs on just one team for these running back props.
NFL picks: Swift Over 30.5 draft position, Under 0.5 first-round backs (+140)