Green Bay Packers: Expectations for Ty Montgomery

Ty Montgomery can provide some matchup problems in the NFL. That said, Montgomery should have an intriguing role in 2015 for the Green Bay Packers.

Despite their need for adding overall talent on the defensive side of the ball and depth, the Green Bay Packers really made an interesting decision when they used their third-round pick on Ty Montgomery out of Stanford in the 2015 NFL Draft.

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There was a high chance Montgomery would’ve fell another round or two and there was better receiving talent on the board. Guys like Justin Hardy and Jamison Crowder were still on the board when the Packers drafted Montgomery.

Drafting a wide receiver in the third round was also a bit of glamor pick for the Packers, as the wide receiver position wasn’t really an area of need for the Packers. After re-signing Randall Cobb this offseason, the Packers got back their No. 2 receiver to pair with their No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson. Davante Adams opened a ton of eyes in his rookie year and he’ll only improve going into the second season of his career. Also, Jared Abbrederis was coming back from injury and he was a guy the Packers were high on in last year’s draft.

So behind guys like Nelson, Carr, Adams, Abbrederis, and perhaps even Jeff Janis, where exactly does Montgomery fit in the equation? Well, for starters, Montgomery is the likely pick to return kicks and punts next year. He’s extremely explosive and he has excellent straight-line speed. At Stanford, Montgomery scored four return touchdowns in just two seasons.

In just a few weeks, with the opportunities in rookie minicamps and offseason workouts, Montgomery has gotten the chance to show his ability and the Packers are apparently loving what he has to offer. Here’s what head coach Mike McCarthy said about Montgomery and his progression:

"“Very impressed,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Montgomery after seeing him work on the practice field. “Obviously has a ton of explosion in his body. I thought he definitely stood out.”"

When the Packers drafted Montgomery, they thought of him as a bigger version of Randall Cobb, according to Packers’ scout Sam Seale:

"He’s more like a Cobb,” said Sam Seale, the Packers’ scout for the West region. “He’s a bigger Cobb.”"

In terms of their measurements, Cobb stands at 5-foot-10, 190. Montgomery, on the other hand, stands at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. So what makes them so similar? Cobb and Montgomery are both well-built. They have the capability to play both in the slot and on the outside. Seale also said this:

"“I think he’s faster than the guy we had last year returning kicks,” Seale said. “I think he’s more explosive. When he touches the ball, he hits the hole.”"

Talking about being well-built, coach McCarthy had this to say about his strength:

"“Well, he’s a very strong runner, very instinctive, has good quickness — all the things you look for,” Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. “And I think the key thing is his strength level is better than most.”"

I don’t expect Montgomery to have a big impact in his rookie season, but I do believe that he can have a role as a y-receiver in some packages. Luckily for the Packers, Montgomery shows the ability and the desire to improve and become a better football player. In 2015, expect Montgomery to be the kick and punt returner and also a rotational receiver who can play both inside and outside.

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