Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 219 pounds
School: Iowa State Cyclones
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Bench press: 15 reps
Vertical jump: 28.5 reps
Broad jump: 10 feet, 1 inch
David Montgomery 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Despite being named the Division III Ohio Player of the Year by the AP in 2015, David Montgomery was relatively unheralded coming out of high school. He received just two scholarship offers from Power Five programs including Iowa State who he eventually committed to. During his three years in Ames, he proved the doubters wrong and indelibly made the case that he deserved a lot more interest from college programs than he received.
Montgomery eased into a prominent role as a true freshman, appearing in all 12 games and starting the last four. He made a precipitous impact down the stretch, rushing for 100+ yards in two of his starts. Ultimately, he finished his debut season for the Cyclones with 563 yards which led the team and was the second-highest total out of a freshman in school history.
The following two seasons saw Montgomery emerge as one of the top runners in all of college football. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in both seasons while finishing no worse than third among Big XII running backs each year. As a junior, he rushed for 100+ yards on seven different occasions. It included a 149-yard effort against Kansas State where he found the end zone three times. It led to him becoming just fourth player in school history to garner All-American recognition more than once.
Strengths
- a strong lower body that he uses when churning his legs for yards after contact;
- effortless acceleration to full speed;
- has the lateral agility to hop cut inside;
- can make side to side cuts without losing too much speed;
- an instinctual player who knows how to find space;
- always looking for creases upfield;
- displays effort and tenacity when pass-blocking;
- a reliable pass-catcher who can line up as a receiver;
- makes sharp transitions when route running;
- demonstrates solid contact balance;
- consistent starter-level reps during three-year collegiate career;
- a team leader who should be a strong locker room presence.
Weaknesses
- could be more decisive with north-south running;
- too often gets brought down on initial contact;
- more of a finesse player rather than a punishing downhill runner;
- able to mix it up as a blocker but sometimes doesn’t finish them;
- might need some time to adjust to pro-style concepts.
NFL Comparison: Marlon Mack
Teams With Need at Position: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans
Projection: Second round
Bottom Line
An athletic, instinctive rusher with the burst to blow by would-be tacklers, Montgomery was highly impactful during all three of his seasons in college. It led to him deciding to forego his senior season and enter the draft a year early. In addition to the traditional qualities you look for in a running back, Montgomery also boasts a pass-catching element that is so crucial in today’s NFL. Perhaps the biggest thing he needs to improve upon is becoming a more decisive downhill runner. Too often, he flutters to the east and west when he needs to be hitting the gaps with urgency. But there’s enough on tape to suggest that he can become the next instant impact rookie for whichever team decides to draft him.
