2020 NFL Draft Prop Bets: Who Will Be Drafted Higher D’Andre Swift or Jonathan Taylor?
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The most running backs selected in an NFL Draft’s first round is seven but nowadays, we’re lucky to even get one. That’s one of the themes of the 2020 NFL Draft as some are wondering if guys like Georgia’s D’Andre Swift or Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor will even go among the first 32 selections.
These two are viewed as the top two backs in the draft, which is why FanDuel has pitted them head-to-head in a matchup prop. Which of these is likely to go first? Let’s take a closer look.
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Who’ll Be Drafted First?
D’Andre Swift -180
Jonathan Taylor +140
Odds courtesy of FanDuel
D’Andre Swift
By most accounts, Swift is viewed as the top back in the draft. Over his 43-game career at Georgia, he compiled 3,551 total yards with 25 touchdowns and was explosive nearly every time he touched the ball. There’s no question that he has game-breaking ability, is a good receiver out of the back-field and is the more versatile back (between him and Taylor), the question some people are wondering is whether he’s that good or if that awesome Georgia offensive line makes him look better than he is?
In my eyes, the only thing that keeps him from being the top pick is if you think he’s more of an Alvin Kamara-type, which he is, who is best in a one-two punch. In other words, he might not be a full-fledged No. 1 back. I don’t know that this is a really prevalent thought, though.
Jonathan Taylor
Taylor was arguably the best running back in college football last season. Taking a look at his full body of work in college, he was one of the best ever at the position. He finished his three-season career with 6,174 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns in just 41 games. We know he’s durable as he’s taken more than 300 carries in a season multiple times.
Taylor vaulted himself into the conversation with an incredible combined. Originally viewed as the big bruising-sometimes plodding type, he blazed through the 40-yard dash a 4.39.
The challenge here is he’s not as versatile out of the backfield as he caught a total of just 16 passes in his first two seasons and then caught 26 in his final year. He’s also now as strong as Swift laterally in the sense that Swift is better at sticking his foot in the ground and making some sexy lateral moves.
Who Goes First?
Georgia and Wisconsin are both running back factories, and we have a pretty good idea of what we’ll get with both. However, given the nature of the NFL these days, Swift will be drafted before Taylor.
Taylor opened some eyes at the combine and might be the best pure runner but Swift can do more. Catching the ball out of the back-field is crucial these days and Swift has shown he can excel in that realm. Also, one overlooked factor with Taylor is that he had 18 fumbles in his three seasons at Wisconsin; Swift lost just four in his career.
Add it all up and I’d bet Swift to be the first of the two backs off the board.
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Dave Golokhov is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Dave, check out his archive and follow him @davegolokhov.