The moniker “Running Back U” may be disputed by fans, but it’s hard to argue against the talent the Georgia Bulldogs have been able to roll out seemingly on a yearly basis.

After a strong showing at last week’s NFL Combine, D’Andre Swift looks to have put himself in an excellent position to become an extremely high draft pick, joining the likes of Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, and Sony Michel.

Swift left Athens a season early to pursue fame and fortune in the NFL, but he didn’t leave the cupboard bare.

With Spring Practice set to start a little over two weeks from today, it’s time to take a closer look at each and every position for the Bulldogs, examine the returning talent, and speculate on where the pieces may ultimately fit for Kirby Smart come fall.

Today we will start with whether this year’s group of running backs can keep Georgia’s train of ball carriers rolling.

It bears repeating that Chubb may have been the single most determined, driven, dedicated running back I’ve personally ever seen for the Bulldogs; Zamir White may be No. 2 on that list, and he’s not far behind.

The fact that White has bounced back from not one, but two ACL operations is testament to the fortitude possessed by this young man, not just to make it back to the field, but to put himself back in position to realize all the glory that was forecast for him before the injuries occurred.

While some may wonder whether or not he’ll ever possess the speed he once did, doubt White at your own peril.

Now two seasons removed from his most recent surgery, White is primed to play an integral role, if not the leading one, in the backfield for the Bulldogs this fall. He'll use this spring hopefully to cement that position in the eyes of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Questions about White's durability were addressed by his 18-carry, 92-yard effort in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor. His season stat line of 78 carries for 408 yards (5.2 average) and three scores was certainly respectable.

With some solid depth behind him, White obviously won’t have to be on the field for every play, but after three long years of waiting, his opportunity is at hand.

Cook has been one of the more talked about running backs for Georgia in the past two seasons, even if much of the talk was about why we weren’t seeing him on the field.

One of the team’s fastest players, the eye test suggests that Cook has plenty of ability to make plays in space, both running and catching the football, but so far hasn’t gotten much of a chance.

The numbers suggest he can be effective if used correctly.

McIntosh didn’t come to Athens with quite the same fanfare as the two five-stars above, but in the opportunities he did receive, the Ft. Lauderdale native showed he was more than capable.

His 62-yard run against Arkansas State was Georgia’s longest run of the year, and showed he has the ability to break big plays, He finished the year with 25 carries for 174 yards.

Although most of his action came on special teams, McIntosh is ready to take that next step, and will look to show Monken that he’s more than capable of handling any job that is presented before him.

From what we’ve been told, Milton has made a big impression as an energetic workout warrior, and someone who has been eager to integrate himself into every aspect of his new team.

At 6-foot-1 and listed officially at 220 pounds (we suspect he weighs even more than that), Milton will be Georgia’s biggest running back, with the talent to match.

Bulldog coaches see the California native as a running back capable of doing it all, and he’ll get that chance in two weeks to show them what he has learned so far in meetings.

Milton will most certainly play a key role for Georgia this fall, and this spring will be key to getting his career off to a fast start.

Edwards signed with Georgia in February and will be thrown into the mix once he arrives.

Due to his “late” start, however, Edwards will find himself at the bottom of the pecking order, although the talent would suggest a climb to higher places.

Like McIntosh before him, don’t be surprised by Edwards seeing much of his early action on special teams, with the occasional offensive rep depending on the score.

Although it’s certainly conceivable Monken could ultimately decide to ride the hot hand, this appears to be one of those rare seasons where everyone appears to be on relatively equal footing.

The competition will be keen. White is expected to get the most reps from the standpoint of numbers, but it’s certainly conceivable that Cook, McIntosh, and Milton will see more of a timeshare than we might have observed in previous campaigns.

That’s especially true with Cook, who obviously can also be used as a slot receiver, and the expectation is that Monken will certainly do that.

Although we still don’t know exactly how different Georgia’s offense will look under its new offensive coordinator, Georgia is built to run the ball. Our take is that the Bulldogs will maintain the claim on RBU.