The Chicago Bears couldn’t hide their overwhelming interest in running back prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft, so no one was surprised when he traded up in the third round to select David Montgomery from Iowa State.
Montgomery fits the mold of what Matt Nagy said he looks for at the position. Vision and footwork are two of his best traits, and he’s one of the best in the draft class at making defenders miss.
He’s what they call “quicker than fast” — not slow, but he doesn’t have elite speed for the position. Montgomery wins by running smart and making defenders miss in space, and his balance keeps him from going down too easily.
As a prospect, Montgomery is an excellent pick for the Bears backfield. But Ryan Pace had to give up significant capital to move up for him, in a draft class loaded at the running back position.
If Montgomery proves to be a top RB from this class, it will be well worth the move, but Pace could have still found quality running backs at 87 or even later in the draft in a day and age when the position continues to offer less value.
Montgomery is no sure thing, but it’s easy to see why the Bears general manager fell in love and went up to draft him.
