Ty Montgomery was my favorite pick of this year’s draft. In the third round at number 94 the Packers have what I view as the answer to endangering veterans on kick returns. While he still has a LOT to prove as an NFL player, Sam Seale, one of the Packers scouts, has called him “a bigger Randall Cobb”. This is high praise and from what I have seen, not unwarranted though it remains to be seen how Montgomery develops at the next level, where the windows are smaller, the angles are tighter, and daylight is at a prison-population premium.
At 5’10-1/4″ and 192 pounds, Randall Cobb earned himself a new contract and the Packers couldn’t be happier. At just a shade under 6′ and 221 pounds, the description of “bigger” is obvious…but that in and of itself does not warrant the comparison to one of the NFL’s elite receivers. What does warrant the comparison, to me, is that Ty Montgomery is one of the smoothest athletes I have seen and his change of direction is so smooth and sudden that I think he will start as the kick returner for Green Bay (who ranked 31st in starting field position last year) in his rookie year…not only that but I think he will help Mike McCarthy make good on his promise of better special teams play by putting the Packers in consistently better field position and I also (yes, this is a prediction) think he will take at least two to the house.
With 4.5 speed at his size, if Montgomery learns the position quickly he will be competing for playing time at receiver. In the meantime, I expect that he will be a difference maker in the return game, not just for what he does…but also for what he allows Randall Cobb (and possibly Hyde) to avoid doing…stepping into harm’s way on special teams.
I love this kid’s attitude in that he readily admits that he has not played a snap in the NFL while at the same time remaining completely confident in his own abilities. Add the kind of strength that Montgomery has exhibited and some of the best players in the league to emulate, and Ty Montgomery could become a very special player and contributor to the Green Bay Packers.
But what do you think? Check out the vid and grade the pick below:
I think he will be a RB behind Lacy/Starks this year more than a receiver, mostly be used in the way they used Cobb his rookie season.