Iowa State football: Who will replace David Montgomery in 2019?
Iowa State football lost one of its best running backs in school history to the NFL on Monday but who could replace him in 2019, and beyond?
David Montgomery became one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the history of Iowa State football. He rushed for a career total of 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns and caught 71 career passes for 582 yards, displaying his all-around versatility as a running back. Montgomery made the tough decision to declare for the NFL Draft early on Monday morning, a decision a lot of people expected to see. This now begs the question: Who will replace David Montgomery?
Luckily for Matt Campbell’s staff, they have some experienced guys for possibilities. The top option is likely backup running back and kick returner Kene Nwangnu, an explosive running back with ridiculous top end speed and is very quick on his feet. Nwangnu rushed for only 157 yards off of 39 carries in 2018, but showed he can be a reliable option at running back with David Montgomery not in the mix.
The second option for the Cyclones could come between Sheldon Croney Jr. and Johnnie Lang. Both Croney Jr. and Lang saw limited action in 2018, with both running backs running for 56 and 79 yards respectively and each back found the endzone once throughout the season. Croney Jr., is more of a power type of running back while Lang is a bit like Montgomery as he does a lot of things well and has a wide skill set.
Option number three would be a bit of a stretch, but not impossible as they could stick in former four-star recruit Jirehl Brock in at running back right away. Brock, a product of Quincy High School in Quincy, Illinois, had offers from Notre Dame, Michigan State, Iowa and Northwestern among others before deciding on the Cyclones as his landing spot. Brock is another explosive runner, that could complement quarterback Brock Purdy well in the Cyclones’ offense.
NFL Mock Draft 2019: First round after Justin Herbert decision. dark. Next
It won’t be an easy decision for Matt Campbell and company to find out who replaces David Montgomery, but they do have three good options. It wouldn’t shock me to see Iowa State go running back by committee next season, but I’m sure they’d feel much more comfortable with a go-to feature back.