Chicago has identified a replacement for Jordan Howard after dealing the power back to Philadelphia last month.
The Bears traded up with the Patriots to select Iowa State running back David Montgomery with the No. 73 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Friday night. The Bears also receive New England's sixth-round pick (No. 205), sending in return their third- (No. 87) and fifth-round (No. 162) choices in addition to a 2020 fourth-round selection.
Having surrendered premium picks in last summer's Khalil Mack blockbuster, general manager Ryan Pace made Montgomery his first selection in this year's draft class.
Although Pace claimed last week that free-agent acquisition Mike Davis is "built to handle a lot of carries," the former Seahawks back has averaged just 6.7 rushes per game in his four-year career. Surrendering valuable draft assets in a trade for Montgomery suggests the newcomer will be ticketed for a major role as "Mr. Inside" to Tarik Cohen's "Mr. Outside."
The face of the Cyclones program over the past two years, Montgomery led the FBS in forced missed tackles on rushes (99) as well as forced missed tackle percentage (38.7), per Pro Football Focus. He showcased outstanding vision and elusiveness in the hole, compensating for a marked lack of long speed and explosiveness.
"He grows on you," one scout opined to Bob McGinn Football. "He's just solid. There's nothing wow about him."
That's perfectly fine with coach Matt Nagy, who will count on Montgomery to move the chains while Cohen continues to provide the "wow" factor.
