Ah, the Miami Dolphins. They're the laughingstock of the NFL this year, and what a laughingstock they are. But that is set to change next season, in part because of the 2020 NFL Draft. Miami owns three first-round picks that have the potential to transform the franchise. The Oakland Raiders are a year removed from a 4-12 season, and are currently 6-4. This is in no small part due to the three first-rounders they made last April. The Dolphins will try to replicate Oakland's turnaround in more ways than one.
The Raiders took running back Josh Jacobs with one of their picks, and he's become the motor of the offense. The Dolphins should target Georgia running back D'Andre Swift in an attempt to reinvigorate their ground game and offense as a whole.
The growing draft theory is that running backs are rarely worth a first-round pick. That may ring true sometimes, but most teams don't have three first-round selections. One of those picks is bound to be in the top five, nowhere near Swift's draft projection. The second will probably be in the teens, again too early to consider taking Swift. But the third selection, formerly belonging to the Houston Texans, will be in the mid-twenties. This is where they should select Swift. It's good value for an extremely talented player. Swift also fills a need, because just about every position is a need for Miami.
To Swift's credit, he's more than just a need-filler. He's a truly spectacular running back. The Georgia offense gets a lot of praise, most of it directed at quarterback Jake Fromm. But the true star of that offense is Swift. The entire offense is run through him. He keeps the pressure off of his quarterback by being such a huge threat on the ground. Historically, when Swift struggles, Fromm does too.
The Georgia offense runs through Swift for a reason. His one-cut running style combined with his unique speed makes him a real home run threat. Swift finishes runs with physicality, a coveted trait. The Bulldogs star is also a capable receiver, allowing him to be on the field for all three downs. Last but not least, Swift is deadly in the open field. It's rare that a single defender is able to bring him to the ground, much less a single cornerback or safety.
Miami should be modeling themselves after the Raiders. A complete turnaround is not out of the question, but the offense needs to find a leader. Swift could be just that for a Miami Dolphins team that needs all the help it can get.
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