PHILADELPHIA — The St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks have moved on without missing a beat, rolling to a 4-0 start and a top-10 national ranking.

But to say the school (located in the heart of Philadelphia) doesn’t miss former star RB D’Andre Swift would be foolish, as the Georgia freshman left a lasting impact on his high school program.

As he continues to bust out impressive spin moves and find his place in the Bulldogs’ loaded backfield, his former coach and teammates are watching and cheering him on — thrilled, but not surprised.

“He’s the best player I’ve seen in my career,” Prep coach Gabe Infante said. “Athletically, he’s as gifted, if not more gifted, than any player I’ve seen.”

That means something coming from Infante, as the decorated coach has guided his teams to three state championships since taking over in 2010.

Though Swift isn’t exactly in danger of unseating senior RBs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel atop the depth chart just yet, he has been productive, racking up 232 yards and a touchdown on only 32 carries. His 7.3 yards-per-carry average leads the Dawgs.

The versatility Swift has already displayed is something Infante said makes the freshman special, adding that Swift will fill whatever role the team needs this fall.

“He can run the ball out of the backfield, catch the ball out of the slot,” he said. “He’s going to find ways to help his team win and he’s very unselfish.”

If Swift is that talented, though, why did he choose to commit to Georgia, where he is currently at least third-string, behind stars like Chubb and Michel?

Infante says there are a few reasons Georgia was the perfect fit:

Learning to be a leader

Infante wasn’t surprised when Swift committed to Georgia, saying the Bulldogs reminded him of what St. Joe’s roster looked like when Swift was a freshman.

Much like Swift will learn what it takes to be an SEC running back from Chubb and Michel this year, he had a pair of older mentors when he got to Prep, too.

According to Infante, CB John Reid and RB/WR Olamide Zaccheaus took Swift under their wings immediately.

“(Swift) said that Georgia reminded him of Prep,” Infante said. “When he got here, we had two very talented players ahead of him. He walked into a similar situation. He felt like they were big-brother figures and felt like they were the same type of role models he had here.”

Zaccheus committed to Virginia and recently went over 1,000 career receiving yards for the Cavaliers. The junior also led the team with seven receiving touchdowns last season.

Reid committed to Penn State and appeared in all 13 games as a freshman (starting two) and started all 14 games for the Nittany Lions last season. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL this year and is expected to miss the season.

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Infante said he’s heard nothing but good things about the way Chubb and Michel carry themselves in Athens and expects Swift to learn a lot from them as well.

“They apparently take great pride in mentoring young guys,” he said. “I’ve never met them, but it’s not common to find talented guys like that.”

Leaving a legacy

Swift is a long way from Philadelphia right now, but his presence is still felt at his old school, where Infante says the player they call “Dre” is still making an impact.

“We’ve got a great tradition here,” Infante said. “We’re currently 4-0 and ranked 10th in the country. It’s not just Dre. Dre certainly is a high-profile guy for us, but the best thing he’s done is the way he’s carried himself.”

What does Infante mean by that? He said he’s been proud of the way coach Kirby Smart has talked about his freshman back, saying he shares those positive words with this year’s Hawks.

“I’ve read to our players the comments coach Smart has said about him because they totally represent what we are as a program,” he said. “He represents us the right way.”

One quote from Smart that probably made Infante smile came after the Bulldogs’ Week 1 win over Appalachian State, when the Georgia coach told 247Sports that he was thrilled with the way Swift unselfishly blocked for his teammates:

“Number seven, number seven out there on offense, he knows how to block,” Smart said of Swift. “Go watch that tape. Number seven made me proud because he carried the ball his whole career in high school. He came in here tonight and he blocked people.

“He didn’t care what his role was. He was happy he was helping those other running backs get yardage. When you’ve got that kind of camaraderie, it’s a special deal.”

Since that season opener, Swift has taken on a bigger role in the running game — a trend that looks likely to continue as the year goes on.

And, as Swift continues to earn carries and make big plays, it’s a safe bet that Infante will continue to hold his former star up as an example of what can be accomplished with hard work and unselfish play.

The next big thing

Infante expects Swift to grow into a starring role not just on the field, but off it as well. He said the Bulldogs are getting a great person in addition to an incredible football player.

“He’s the type of guy who does service and he does great work in the community,” he said. “He’s an excellent representative for the University of Georgia.”

As for the expectations placed upon him in the cutthroat SEC, Infante thinks Swift will be just fine, as no one will be tougher on his performances than he will.

“If he’s learned anything from us, and I know he has, he’s just going to focus on the day-to-day stuff,” he said. “Nobody’s expectations for Dre will ever surpass his expectations for himself.”

With games against Vanderbilt and Mizzou before an Oct. 21 bye, Swift will likely continue to grow into his role in the Georgia backfield.

Based on what he’s shown so far, the sky’s the limit for the young back, who appears to be the Bulldogs’ next superstar.