Monty Rice NFL Draft Overview
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 238 pounds
College: University of Georgia
Monty Rice 2021 NFL Draft Profile
When discussing potential University of Georgia draftees, many analysts will point you in the direction of outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari. However, there’s another Georgia linebacker worth scouting ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft. His name is Monty Rice.
Monty Rice began his football career at St. John Paul ll High School in Huntsville, Alabama before opting to transfer to James Clemens High School. While at the latter, Rice began showing flashes of potential greatness on the football field. As a four-star recruit, Rice received offers from multiple SEC teams. Ultimately, Rice opted to enroll at LSU, but quickly flipped his commitment to Georgia. Now, feeling comfortable in his selection of schools, Rice was primed for success. Despite the Georgia linebacker room being packed with talent, most notably future first-round selection Roquan Smith, Rice still made an impression on many coaches. At the conclusion of his freshman season, Rice finished with 22 tackles, with two of them being for a loss.
In 2018, Rice’s role increased on Georgia’s defense. This, in turn, boosted his overall production, finishing the season with 59 tackles. In 2019, Rice was asked to take on an even bigger role on the defense. Rice finished his junior campaign with 89 tackles, with three of them coming in for a loss. He also added three pass breakups, showing his prowess in coverage. At the conclusion of the season, Rice garnered some NFL buzz, but opted to return to Georgia for his senior season. Rice’s decision turned out to be a good one, finishing with a career-high in tackles for a loss and earning a first-team All-SEC selection as well as being named a finalist for the Butkus Award. At the conclusion of the season, Rice opted out of the Peach Bowl and declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths
- Displays impressive speed and athleticism;
- Breaks down well;
- Possesses great closing speed;
- Works well sideline-to-sideline and makes plays in open space versus offensive players;
- Shows great football intelligence and instincts;
- Takes good angles when attacking ball carriers;
- Possesses plenty of experience on special teams,
Weaknesses
- Struggles to get off blocks occasionally;
- Below-average athletic ability puts a cap on his ceiling;
- Could be a bit undersized for the position at the next level.
Player Comparison: Jermaine Carter Jr.
Teams With Need At The Position: New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos.
Draft Projection: Day Three
Bottom Line on Monty Rice
While Monty Rice may not have the size nor the athleticism to shine at the next level, that doesn’t mean he can’t be productive for an NFL team. Rice showed he has the potential to be a productive contributor at the next level with his great football instincts and impressive tackling ability. If Rice wants to succeed at the next level, he should look to improve his ability to fight off blocks, which is probably his biggest downfall. In the end, Rice profiles well as a dependable linebacker most suited to play within a 4-3 defense. If placed into the right situation, Rice could become a solid contributor for an NFL organization.
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