Chicago Bears: 4 Running backs to target in 2019 NFL Draft

David Montgomery, Iowa State (5-11, 219 pounds)

David Montgomery isn’t flashy and he isn’t a speed burner. All he does is make plays, however. He has the size to pound his way through the line. He also has the vision to see the open hole quickly, which helps make up for his lack of speed.

In the passing game, Montgomery has great football IQ. Even though he isn’t the fastest player, he finds ways to get open consistently. He also has soft hands so he can make catches easier than other running backs. With his size, defensive backs have a hard time tackling him.

In 2018, Montgomery rushed for 1,216 yards and 13 touchdowns. He added 157 yards receiving. For his career, he had 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns rushing and 582 receiving yards. One might be worried about not having touchdown catches but part of the reason was that the Cyclones struggled at quarterback. Also, the team didn’t really make having a running back come out of the backfield to receive passes much of a priority. He did pretty well even in that situation and with his abilities and more instruction at the higher level he should be better.

I think Montgomery is similar to Howard. He’s just an inch and 10 pounds heavier, but the difference is in the passing game. Montgomery can get open in the middle of the field and has good hands. Howard just hasn’t been an effective asset in the passing game. Most of his catches are to the sideline where he can just catch and get out of bounds. With Montgomery, the offense has more choices.