The second running back on PFF's latest big board, David Montgomery is a strong, rhythmic runner that would rather take on a tackler than step out of bounds. His 91.1 overall grade led the running back draft class, and he has shown the durability necessary over a three-year career with the Cyclones to shoulder an NFL workload.
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Montgomery can cut on a dime and leaves Iowa State as the most elusive running back in the PFF College era (2014-present). He is the only person ever to break more than 100 tackles (both rushing in receiving) in a single season. Oh, and he did it twice.
His reputation doesn’t end as an elusive runner in space. He's also an all-around good running back that is solid between the tackles. During his last two seasons at Iowa State, he totaled over 880 yards after contact each season, using his 222-pound frame to his advantage.
Where Montgomery needs to prove his consistency is catching passes out of the backfield. Among draft-eligible running backs that saw at least 15 targets, Montgomery’s 65.5 receiving grade in 2018 ranked tied for 26th and he only averaged 7.1 yards per catch, good for 34th in the class.
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