Outside observers may think Georgia is going to be forced to rebuild at the running back position this season following the loss of Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to the NFL. However, according to SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy, that thought couldn’t be any further from the truth.

During an appearance on SEC Network show SEC Now leading up to the opening ceremonies of the 2018 version of SEC Media Days, McElroy shared a tidbit relayed to him from a member of the Bulldog program late last season. McElroy was a member of the broadcast booth for the Georgia-Georgia Tech game and revealed that a member of Kirby Smart’s program proclaimed Swift was the best player on the UGA roster last season.

“I’ve met with some Georgia people before the Georgia Tech game and someone on their staff said their best player wore No. 7,” McElroy said on the set of SEC Now from Atlanta.

Confused by that response from the unnamed member of Georgia’s staff, McElroy asked them to clarify the comment.

“‘No, No. 7 is the best player on this team. He can play anywhere. Receiver, running back, fullback, quarterback and he could play on the defensive side of the ball,'” McElroy said the UGA staff member told him.

Those comments are only part of the reason the former Alabama quarterback is so high on the sophomore Georgia running back heading into the season.

“D’Andre Swift is the guy to me that I’m most looking forward to this season,” McElroy continued. “I honestly think that if a quarterback doesn’t win the award — and that’s a big if because quarterbacks win it almost annually; the only two that have won it the last decade (other than quarterbacks) have been Alabama running backs.

“D’Andre Swift though, because of the touches I expect him to get — look, I know (Elijah) Holyfield is there and they’ll probably use Mecole Hardman and Zamir White is a highly touted freshman coming in but he’s coming off the ACL he experienced last fall. I think D’Andre Swift is going to get the numbers and the touches to get a legitimate Heisman Trophy campaign.”

That’s a bold take for a player that has a career total of 81 carries and 98 touches from the line of scrimmage but with Georgia losing so much firepower at the running back position last season — Michel and Chubb combined to rush for 2,572 yards and 31 touchdowns — someone on the roster has to step up and replace that production. If Swift becomes that guy, McElroy expects him to make the trip up to New York’s downtown athletic club immediately after the regular season ends.