Bears Trade Up, Draft RB David Montgomery to Replace Jordan Howard

The Chicago Bears bolstered their running back depth chart Friday when they selected Iowa State's David Montgomery with the 73rd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. 

The Bears traded up in order to get Montgomery. They received the Nos. 73 and 205 overall picks from the New England Patriots for the Nos. 87 and 162 overall selections and a 2020 fourth-round pick.

Many saw Montgomery as a great addition for Chicago to complement gadget back Tarik Cohen.

Montgomery was a featured back for an Iowa State team that won eight games in each of the last two years. He ran for 1,146 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017 and then added 1,216 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as a junior in 2018.

While he wasn't much of a receiving threat statistically, with zero touchdown catches in his collegiate career and never more than 296 receiving yards in a season, Sam Brief of Sports Illustrated saw enough to call him "one of the most versatile backs" in the draft.

Brief pointed to his "tremendous downfield vision and patience" and ability to "read blocks before sprinting forward" as traits that will help him with screen passes and as a receiver at the NFL level.

He also highlighted tackle-breaking ability, as 700 of Montgomery's 1,216 rushing yards in 2018 came after contact.

David Montgomery NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Bears Rookie

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Running through contact is a defining characteristic of NFL running backs. Even replacement-level backs can rack up impressive yardage totals when the offensive line opens up significant holes, and Montgomery has flashed the ability to turn short gains into game-changing plays.

He was difficult enough to bring down in the open field that Bleacher Report's Matt Miller had projected him as a second-round pick in a post-Super Bowl mock draft. Montgomery was even the second-best running back on Miller's final big board before the draft.

Between his patience as a ball-carrier, tendency to run through arm tackles and create additional yardage, and the fact that he was a consistent 1,000-yard back at the collegiate level, Montgomery has the potential to be an every-down option in the NFL.

Chicago hopes that's the case after using a relatively early pick, their first of the 2019 draft, on him.

This also gives the Bears another backfield member after they traded Jordan Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. Versatility, which held Howard back in 2018, is key in head coach Matt Nagy's offense so Montgomery should fit in nicely.