Oakland Raiders: Post-Combine 7-Round 2019 mock draft
28. RB. David Montgomery. player. Iowa State. 141. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
With or without Marshawn Lynch, the Silver and Black have to look toward the future. This year’s running back class doesn’t have a Saquon Barkley-type player worth an early first-round pick. Fortunately for the Raiders, they don’t need a first-round tailback for high-level production at the position. Within the division, Denver Broncos rookie running back Phillip Lindsay made the Pro Bowl as an undrafted product out of Colorado.
It’s a gift to see David Montgomery available in the fifth round. He doesn’t run a fast 40-yard dash (4.63 seconds), but the 5-11, 215-pound running back plays with a physical style and adequately picks up blitzers in pass protection, which is important to Carr since he took 51 sacks in 2018.
Montgomery recorded 515 carries for 2,362 yards and 24 touchdowns over the last two terms. He also caught 58 passes for 453 yards in that span. The Iowa State product wouldn’t have to carry the ball 20-plus times with Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington and Chris Warren III still on the books for the upcoming season. Nonetheless, the junior tailback possesses the frame, vision and enough quickness to handle a lead role.
Based on Gruden’s history, he prefers to use multiple tailbacks with versatility. Montgomery fits the mold and brings a grinder mentality to the position, a major plus. As a tough ball-carrier between the tackles, he’s an ideal successor to Beast Mode.
Montgomery lands in a spot where there’s a potential 12-to-15-carry workload. It’s too early to tab Warren as “the guy” after one impressive preseason. At best, the two tailbacks would split the duties with Richard as the primary receiving threat out of the backfield.