Green Bay Packers 2015 Impact Meter: WR Ty Montgomery

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Green Bay Packers' rookie wide receiver Ty Montgomery is just how much he'll be used in 2015—and where. 

Predicting the impact a rookie will have on a team, especially one as loaded as the Packers, is always a guessing game on some level. But an analysis of how Montgomery was used at Stanford and comments Packers coaches and front office staff have made since he was drafted will help shape an idea as to his role on the team this season as we head into training camp. 

Once camp practices get underway and especially once preseason games begin, the scope of Montgomery's potential impact will widen even more. But before we get to that point, let's take a look at what he could be capable of.

College Career in Review

	2011	2012	2013	2014
Games Played	13	11	14	11
Starts	4	4	12	6
Receptions	24	26	61	61
Receiving Yards	350	213	958	604
Receiving TDs	2	0	10	3
Kick Returns	27	11	36	17
Kick Return Yards	680	293	1,091	429
Kick Return Avg.	25.2	26.6	30.3	25.2
Kick Return TDs	1	0	2	0
Punt Returns	0	0	0	12
Punt Return Yards	0	0	0	238
Punt Return Avg.	0	0	0	19.8
Punt Return TDs	0	0	0	2

Montgomery began his freshman year as the primary kickoff returner for Stanford, but his use on the offense did not begin to increase until the end of that season. He earned four starts in the last four games of the season and finished his freshman year with 24 catches for 350 yards and two touchdowns.

That effort earned Montgomery the Menlo-Atherton Trophy, given to the "team’s most outstanding freshman" according to GoStanford.com. 

Montgomery again earned four starts in his sophomore year, proving himself to be a weapon on both offense and special teams. He had over 450 all-purpose yards through the first five games of the season: 168 yards on 18 receptions and 293 on kick returns, including one game against Arizona in which Montgomery amassed an eye-popping 126 yards on kick returns. 

However, Montgomery struggled with torn knee ligaments that season, and his production fell off midway through the year.  

It was his junior year that cemented Montgomery on draft boards. In 2013, Montgomery ranked No. 2 in the nation with 30.3 yards per kick return and two touchdowns scored. At wide receiver, he posted 61 receptions for 958 yards, averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He also had 10 touchdowns. 

Montgomery was No. 9 in the country with 157.7 all-purpose yards per game. He also made an impact on the ground, rushing for 159 yards on 13 carries for two touchdowns. 

The list of awards and honors Montgomery won in 2013, including consensus All-American honors as a kick returner, is too extensive to list here, but can be found on Stanford's website. 

In 2014—his senior year—Montgomery took a small step backward, partially due to a shoulder injury. He finished the season with 61 receptions, which was a team high, for 604 yards.

But one skill Montgomery added to his resume in his senior year that had previously been unused was his punt-returning ability. Montgomery returned a team-high 12 punts for 238 yards—averaging nearly 20 yards per return—and two touchdowns.

The Packers seemed unconcerned about Montgomery's decreased yardage and increased drops in 2014 and selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. 

2015 Preview

The Packers didn't get to see much out of their new weapon during the offseason. Montgomery missed the first week of OTAs because he was obligated to attend the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere event and then missed the remaining practices because of Stanford's class schedule. 

Montgomery was finally able to show a little of what he has to offer during the Packers' mandatory minicamp. 

And it was promising. 

"He stood out from the get go," ESPN.com's Rob Demovksy wrote after Montgomery's first full-team practice. "He caught a deep ball on a seam route during a team period and also showed his catch-and-run ability."

Training camp, of course, will be the Packers' opportunity to really see what Montgomery can do. The main thing to look for is how much he's used with the offense (and if it's purely with the scout team or if he receives reps with Aaron Rodgers) versus how much time he spends running special teams drills. 

Certainly, the latter is a given. The Packers were already loaded at wide receiver before general manager Ted Thompson selected Montgomery in the third round; Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams are essentially locks at the top three spots, and then there are second-year players Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis to consider. 

But special teams is head coach Mike McCarthy's new pet project this season, and it's clear that the move to take Montgomery so early was spurred by a need for an explosive returns game. 

"He's a powerful young man, especially for a receiver," McCarthy said after Montgomery was drafted, per Demovsky. He continued:

"

He doesn't go down very easily. With that, being built a lot like a running back, I think that's what I personally favor in the return game. So I think he's a heck of a young player, and I think we were fortunate to get him in the third round. We will be better on kickoff return. And Ty will definitely have the opportunity to help us improve.

"

The Packers ranked 31st in kick returns in 2014, averaging only 19.1 yards per game. Over his college career, Montgomery averaged 26.8 yards per kick return. 

DuJuan Harris was Green Bay's primary kick returner in 2014. Expect Montgomery to win that job handily during training camp. 

As for whether he'll see many snaps with the offense in 2015? Don't expect him to be a downfield threat, and don't expect him to even be used every week. However, Montgomery could be a dangerous weapon for Green Bay when used as a package player. Running routes out of the backfield will come naturally to him, given his running back's legs and size. He could also see some targets out of the slot. 

Montgomery will have a big impact on the team in 2015, but most of it will come on special teams. And considering the Packers finished dead last in that area in 2014, per the Dallas Morning News' annual rankings, that's not a bad thing at all. 

Expected 2015 Impact Meter: High