Former Iowa State standout David Montgomery could be the best running back in the 2019 NFL Draft class. How does he project to the next level?
Saquon Barkley was not only the unquestioned top running back in the 2018 NFL Draft, but he was also widely regarded as the most talented player available. That proved true when the New York Giants selected him No. 2 overall.
The 2019 class doesn’t have a running back with that amount of notoriety. Not only that, but several different rushers have reasonable arguments to be the first back selected in this year’s draft. Chief among those candidates is Iowa State running back David Montgomery who could prove to be the most undervalued prospect at his position by the time his career his through.
With Montgomery as the lead back, Iowa State achieved back-to-back 8-5 seasons, this after compiling eight wins in the school’s three prior seasons combined. While not the sole reason for the uptick, Montgomery’s impact on the program cannot be ignored. Those abilities will translate to the next level.
Strengths
An early entrant, Montgomery was a 1,000-yard rusher in each of his last two collegiate seasons. He tallied 2,362 yards on the ground and 24 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior campaigns. The production is there, but so is the talent.
Montgomery is a physical runner with a quick twitch. He isn’t afraid to initiate contact and moves his body well into and out of traffic. At 5-foot-11, 216 pounds he has the size and power to run through tackles. Not to be confused with a bruiser, he averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per carry in his two seasons as the lead back.
Beyond his toughness on the ground, Montgomery is also a talented pass catcher. As Air Raid concepts continue to infiltrate the professional game, that’s a skillset which has become required in the modern NFL. Montgomery caught 71 passes for 582 yards in his career.
Weaknesses
The most striking downside with Montgomery is his lack of home run ability. Unlike backs like Barkley, Derrius Guice or Nick Chubb, Montgomery isn’t going to break off a 75-yard touchdown run. His 4.63 40-yard dash time was 17th among the 23 running backs who ran at this year’s NFL Combine.
Speed isn’t Montgomery’s forte. He won’t be asked to run 40-yards in a straight line often in the pros, but pro scouts were still watching his combine tape. Whether it’s fair or not, raw athleticism will always be one of the measures NFL teams use when compiling their draft boards.
Where the speed issue becomes most concerning for Montgomery is down the field. After breaking through the initial wave of contact he doesn’t seem to have that next level vision that allows him to make an additional cut and separate.
Draft expectations
When evaluated on the whole, Montgomery possesses this skillset to be a true three-down back in the NFL. Former Miami standout Frank Gore would be the most positive pro player comparison for Montgomery’s ceiling in the NFL. A five-time Pro Bowler, Gore has nine 1,000-yard seasons to his name and 77 career touchdowns over a 10-year NFL career.
Gore was the first pick of the third round in the 2005 NFL Draft, coming off the board after Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams. Pending some unforeseen off-field issues, that’s where the floor should be for Montgomery in this class. If he’s not the consensus top back come late April, he’s not falling out of the second round.