Packers’ Ty Montgomery has prototypical running back tools

When he was drafted, I wrote about how Ty Montgomery was essentially unique as a wide receiver:

“The only other NFL receivers since 1966 to be six feet tall or less but at least as heavy as Montgomery are the following: Josh Morgan, Tamarick Vanover, and Marcus Vick.”

Now that Montgomery is firmly ensconced as a running back it’s worth revisiting this, as Montgomery absolutely has the size and speed of a prototypical RB.

Top RB Speed Score from the 2015 RB class including Montgomery:

Karlos Williams - 114.2
David Johnson - 109.3
Jeremy Langford - 109
Ty Montgomery - 103.2
Melvin Gordon - 103

Tevin Coleman is excluded as he did not run at the combine, but would likely have been in the 106 range. Speed score tells us if a player is fast for his size. Montgomery’s number isn’t outstanding, but it is very good, and if a player has an off day at the combine that can have a major effect. Montgomery showed great explosiveness on tape, and his agility and hands are what led Stanford to put him at receiver in the first place. Those talents still exist now that he is back at running back. Jeremy Langford profiles as more of a scat back as the lightest of the bunch, while Montgomery is actually bigger than Melvin Gordon who ran at only 215 pounds.

Frankly, Montgomery profiles much better as a back than as a WR, but there are advantages to be gained from training as a as a receiver. The top non-suspended back in Montgomery’s class is the excellent David Johnson. Johnson has been just as dangerous as a receiver as a runner, and Montgomery should be able to replicate that production given enough opportunities. That said, Johnson did grade higher and he’s not a perfect comp.

I did find a pretty perfect player comp for Montgomery though.

Both Montgomery and this player are six feet tall and ran at the combine at 221 pounds. They had the exact same broad jump, and they were within 2 hundredths of a second of each other in the 40.

If any Dolphins fan is wondering what it would be like to see Jay Ajayi behind a good offensive line, look no further than Ty Montgomery.

Ajayi is having an impressive second season, having just cracked the 1,000 yard mark on a healthy 4.7 yards per carry, and he has served as a decent threat in the passing game. It is unlikely that Montgomery will keep up his lofty per carry average over a larger sample, but if he can match Ajayi on the ground with superior work through the air, he can be be an absolute star for a long time. Furthermore, as he is running behind Green Bay’s excellent line with most defenses focusing on stopping Rodgers, the sky's the limit. The focus on passing will limit the punishing hits that running backs take, and his ability in the passing game will keep him on the field enough to maximize his touches. This is basically a perfect fit.