High School Top 10: D'Andre Swift Pleased Recruiting Process Is Over And Is Ready To Go
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — D'Andre Swift woke Thursday morning, his own personal judgement day, and traveled through the gamut of emotions. There were shed tears, laughter, jokes and joy. But above everything, there was relief when Swift, St. Joe Prep's explosive 5-foot-10, 220-pound senior tailback, selected to attend Georgia over Alabama, Clemson, Florida State and Penn State.
"It was real big to get it out of the way and get ready for my senior season," said Swift, who last year rushed for 1,035 yards on 165 carries, averaging 6.2 yards a carry, and scored 12 touchdowns. "I loved everything about Georgia. The atmosphere, the coaches, the players, everything. They do like to run the ball and I want to be a running back at Georgia.
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"I mean everything school was a consideration. When I went down to Georgia, I knew. I have family in Georgia and I lived in Georgia when I was younger. I can now focus on the season. We won a state championships in my freshman and sophomore year. I want to win another one and be a leader to the young guys on this team."
It was an emotional rollercoaster not only for Swift, but the prestigious Prep program and its dynamic coach, Gabe Infante.
"D'Andre cried Thursday morning and he was holding in a lot of emotion," Infante said. "D'Andre was carrying a lot with him. I saw him smile more on Thursday after he made his choice public than I've seen him smile in a while. He wants to get back to being a kid, and doing the things he loves to do, and that's play football.
"I didn't realize how much weight he was carrying with him on this decision. Everywhere we went, people would ask him and they wouldn't leave him alone. My phone was blowing up the last three days, and his was blowing up three times as much. I really think for D'Andre this was a relief and it released a lot of emotions. I think it's a big decision and he didn't want to make the wrong decision. For a high school kid, choosing a college is the first big, big decision in your life. It was magnified by all of the media attention—and I think it was just a lot. He don't want a big deal made of it.
"He can go back to being a kid and play football. At the end of the day, the last four years haven't been easy. It's the culmination of a long journey. It's what D'Andre worked for and deserves."
CBS Philly's Area Top 10 Power Ratings For Sept. 2, 2016
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 0-0)
2. Imhotep Charter (Record: 1-0)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 0-0)
4. Neshaminy (Record: 1-0)
5. North Penn (Record: 1-0)
6. St. Augustine (NJ) (Record: 0-0)
7. Downingtown East (Record: 1-0)
8. Timber Creek (NJ) (Record: 0-0)
9. Malvern Prep (Record: 0-0)
10. Cherokee (NJ) (Record: 0-0)
Southeastern PA Top 10 Sept. 2, 2016
1. St. Joe's Prep (Record: 0-0)
2. Imhotep Charter (Record: 1-0)
3. Archbishop Wood (Record: 0-0)
4. Neshaminy (Record: 1-0)
5. North Penn (Record: 1-0)
6. Downingtown East (Record: 1-0)
7. Malvern Prep (Record: 0-0)
8. Haverford School (Record: 0-0)
9. La Salle (Record: 0-1)
10. Perkiomen Valley (Record: 1-0)