The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and players at all positions are under on the microscope. Leading up to the NFL Draft I will examine some prospects that could make a fantasy splash in the near future.
Today’s choice is Iowa State running back David Montgomery, currently projected to be a Round 3-5 pick currently by most major outlets.
DAVID MONTGOMERY, RB (Iowa State)
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 222
40 Time: 4.63; Vertical Jump: 38.5 inches; Broad Jump: 121 inches; 3-Cone Drill: N/A.
Montgomery broke 1,110 yards in each of his last two years for the Cyclones, including rushing for 1,216 yards and 13 touchdowns on 257 attempts in 2018.
Speed has always been a concern for some scouting Montgomery and his 40 time at this year’s combine failed to help matters. However, he did fare better (4.57) at Iowa State’s recent pro day. Montgomery displayed the ability to be a factor in the passing game.
| Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Class | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2016 | FR | 12 | 109 | 563 | 5.2 | 2 | 13 | 129 | 9.9 | 0 |
| *2017 | SO | 13 | 258 | 1146 | 4.4 | 11 | 36 | 296 | 8.2 | 0 |
| *2018 | JR | 12 | 257 | 1216 | 4.7 | 13 | 22 | 157 | 7.1 | 0 |
| Career | 624 | 2925 | 4.7 | 26 | 71 | 582 | 8.2 | 0 |
Check out some of his 2018 Highlights:
PFF’s Mike Renner breaks down his film:
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MY FANTASY TAKE: Montgomery has the potential to offer RB2 upside in the long term if he lands in a good situation, but it could require patience. His ability to catch the ball well out of the backfield will provide him increased opportunities. He lacks the elite upside you look for in an early rookie / dynasty pick but is definitely worth investing in. This year’s crop of running backs lacks the superstar power of recent years which means there will be decent value later than normal at RB in upcoming rookie drafts.
Even more fantasy takes…
Mike Tagliere, FantasyPros.com (MORE)
Montgomery would have been a stud in the NFL about 10 years ago, as he’s someone you’d hand the ball off to 300-plus times and let him wear out the defense. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen anymore, as there was just one running back who topped 261 carries in 2018.Davis Mattek, RotoExperts.com (MORE)
He’ll likely start out in the bottom end of a timeshare regardless of which team drafts him but his multi-use skillset of power running and pass catching should carve out more playing time. For dynasty fantasy football purposes, I will be fairly draft slot-reliant on valuation for him because I do not think he is the sort of eye-popping prospect that will demand a starting job early on.
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Let’s check out what some industry experts are saying about the running back:
WalterFootball.com (MORE)
Montgomery is a nice college back who runs hard and fights through contact to pick up extra yards. He may not have the speed to be an impact-making starter in the NFL, but he could be a solid rotational option.Matthew Bartlett, SaturdayBlitz.com (MORE)
Montgomery is a physical runner with a quick twitch. He isn’t afraid to initiate contact and moves his body well into and out of traffic. At 5-foot-11, 216 pounds he has the size and power to run through tackles. Not to be confused with a bruiser, he averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per carry in his two seasons as the lead back.
Here’s some stuff from Twitter…
It is #NFLDraft Season!
After an impressive 40-yard dash the Iowa St. pro day, RB D. Montgomery is garnering a deeper look by Draftniks.@PeoplezPen & myself examine the Cyclones’ star in our #NFL Draft Profiles series.https://t.co/du9MCRZXw2#NFLDraft2019 #DraftTwitter— John Laub ?? (@GridironSchol91) March 28, 2019
David Montgomery running the 40 at Iowa State Pro Day. The consensus has him in the low 4.5s, which would be an improvement on his 4.63 at the NFL Combine. @cyclonereport pic.twitter.com/gaQTsClQmQ
— Bill Seals (@williamseals) March 26, 2019
David Montgomery easily led draft eligible running backs from the Big 12 by forcing 99 missed tackles rushing. pic.twitter.com/mZUuc3Hiim
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) March 27, 2019
*Image from @TommyBirch on Twitter.
