2020 NFL Draft Prop Bet: When Will D'Andre Swift Be Selected?
With the 2020 NFL Draft kicking off on Thursday, sports fans will finally get to experience the closest thing to a live sporting event since the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sportsbooks have created hundreds of draft props, offering everything from when players will be drafted, to how many players from each position are drafted, to school-vs-school props.
Only 16 running backs have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft over the past 10 years. William Hill Sportsbook has set the over/under on the overall draft position for running back D’Andre Swift at 30.5.
Odds courtesy of William Hill
D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Swift is arguably the best running back in this entire class and is favored to be the first running back taken. He’s incredibly shifty, boasts excellent speed and is one of the best pass-catching backs in the draft. In 2019, Swift earned First-Team All-SEC honors with 1,218 rushing yards (6.2 average) and seven touchdowns on the ground and 24 receptions for 316 yards and one more score in the passing game. In three seasons, he rushed for 2,885 yards, averaged a school-record 6.56 yards per carry and added 73 receptions. Sports Illustrated Georgia Bulldogs publisher Brooks Austin recently highlighted that Swift has garnered a lot of attention from some all-time greats at the position, such as Thurman Thomas and Maurice Jones-Drew.
In SI.com's Big Board projection, Swift is ranked as the 21st overall prospect. Sports Illustrated's Kevin Hanson has the Miami Dolphins investing a second-round pick (No. 39) on Swift in his latest seven-round Mock Draft.
The smooth-running Swift has all the qualities desired in an NFL back, with clear three-down ability and the potential to find the end zone from any point on the field. Labeled as the best all-around pass-catcher in this year’s class, he showed incredibly reliable hands with just three drops on 90 targets in three seasons.
Betting Outlook
William Hill currently lists Swift’s draft position at 30.5, which sneaks him into the back end of the first round. I have him coming off the board to Miami at No. 26 in my mock draft. Other teams rumored to be interested in the former Georgia star are the Chargers, Chiefs, Bills, Falcons and Dolphins.
I have already wagered that a running back will be drafted in the first round, with Swift being the player I envision coming off the board. This number is way too close for my liking, especially with the defending Super Bowl LIV Champion Kansas City Chiefs sitting at No. 32. It should not be overlooked that their leading rusher last season, Damien Williams, is only under contract for one more season. Although I lean to the under, this prop bet is a pass for me in favor of other more attractive markets.
The Play: Pass
MORE FROM SI GAMBLING:
SI's 2020 NFL Draft Prop Betting Guide
SI Gambling's Favorite 2020 NFL Draft Prop Bets
2020 NFL Draft Prop Bet: When Will Michael Pittman Jr. Be Selected?
