From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on John Carroll WR Tyren Montgomery.
No. 4 Tyren Montgomery/WR John Carroll 5113/190 (Fifth-year senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Tyren Montgomery 5113/190 9″ 31 3/4″ N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
The Good
– Well-proportioned, muscular build
– Capable of absorbing contact over the middle of the field
– Good burst that can challenge defenses vertically
– Dynamic and multifaceted release package
– Uses his upper body effectively against aggressive press coverage
– Understands how to manipulate opponents’ leverage at the line of scrimmage
– Advanced route-running polish for limited experience
– Good understanding of defensive spacing
– Knows how to attack blind spots in zone coverage
– Violently sinks his hips at the top of his routes to sell the breakdown
– Sharp, decisive cuts at the breakpoint
– Shows aggressiveness and good timing when high-pointing the ball
– Strong hands that use the diamond technique to pluck the ball away from his body
– Capable of making tough catches in traffic
– High-effort blocker who is willing to play through the whistle
The Bad
– Compact frame
– Short arm length, which affects his catch radius
– Smaller hands, which affect his ability to secure the ball
– Prone to struggles against corners who get their hands on him early
– Less than ideal play strength
– Grabs defenders and pushes off to gain separation when he’s behind on his route
– Drifts too close to the sideline on vertical routes at the boundary
– Struggles in 50-50 jump-ball situations
– Prone to concentration drops by focusing on turning upfield
– Not overly elusive in the open field
Stats
– 2025 stats: 119 receptions, 1,528 receiving yards, 12.8 yards per reception, 15 touchdowns, 14 games played
– Career stats: 188 receptions, 2,770 receiving yards, 14.7 yards per reception, 32 touchdowns, 33 games played
– JCU career stats: 176 receptions, 2,599 receiving yards, 15.8 yards per reception, 32 touchdowns, 25 games played
– Nicholls State career stats: 12 receptions, 171 receiving yards, 14.3 yards per reception, 8 games played
– 3.73 yards per route run (2025)
– 9.3 adjusted depth of target (2025)
– 5.7 yards after catch per reception (2025)
– 2.7 drop percentage (2025)
Injury History
– Suffered a right-ankle sprain that sidelined him for multiple games (2023)
– Sustained a minor injury during Senior Bowl practices but didn’t miss any days (2026)
Background
– Born July 3, 2001 (24 years old)
– Began his college career as a walk-on for LSU basketball
– Spent two years away from collegiate athletics during the COVID-19 pandemic
– Enrolled at Nicholls State, where he spent two seasons before transferring to John Carroll University
– Didn’t play football in high school, playing basketball instead
– Ranked top four in his district in free throws made
– Captain of the varsity team his senior year
– Earned Honor Roll as a senior
– Played recreational flag football during the pandemic before playing collegiately at Nicholls State
– Redshirted 2022 season due to academic ineligibility
– Second-team Division III All-American (2025)
– Broke school record for season receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,528) in 2025
– OAC Wide Receiver of the Year and first-team All-OAC (2024)
– Set school record for receiving touchdowns at the time with 17 (2024)
– Set school record for career receiving yards (2,599) despite playing for only two seasons
– First player in John Carroll’s history to be invited to the Senior Bowl
– Left the LSU basketball team to take care of his mother
– His brother encouraged him to try football and taught him route concepts
– Posted his solo workouts on Facebook flag football groups to get noticed
– Pursuing a Master’s degree in digital marketing and communication strategy
Tape Breakdown
Montgomery has seen an astronomical rise, going from a Division III unknown to a projected draft pick. His dominance at the American Bowl and the Senior Bowl put him on the radar for NFL teams. Many were hoping to see him test at the NFL Combine to solidify his potential draft slot, but he will now have a chance to showcase his athleticism at Toledo’s pro day.
From watching his tape, one thing is clear: he is consistently the best athlete on the field. He will be 25 years old during his rookie season, so it is reasonable to wonder how much of his advantage stemmed from being more physically developed than competition that already lacks high-end athleticism. However, his dominance at the Senior Bowl showed he can play and win against the best that college football has to offer.
Until there are testing numbers to confirm it, it is clear from the film that Montgomery’s game is built on his burst, which allows him to challenge defensive backs vertically. His tape is teeming with examples of him getting behind defenders and burning defenses deep.
Despite having played football for only a couple of years, Montgomery’s rapid progression as a route runner is eye-popping and highly encouraging for his future development. He shows a strong understanding of how to stem his routes and attack defensive backs’ blind spots in zone coverage, consistently getting them turned the wrong way and separating at the top of his route.
Against man coverage, he attacks cornerbacks’ outside shoulder, forcing them to widen their base and protect against his intended in-breaking routes. While many unpolished receivers will simply follow the drawn-up line of the play, Montgomery instead works into open grass, adjusting his path based on post-snap defensive shell rotations.
Montgomery’s growth as a route runner starts with his salesmanship at the top of his stems. He’s able to violently sink his hips and drop his center of gravity, and his fluidity in and out of breaks forces defensive backs to respect the threat of a sudden breakdown. Coming out of his cuts, he can change direction with minimal loss of speed.
Even with his rapid progression, he’s still not a finished product. When facing physical coverage or when he falls behind in his route, he becomes prone to being grabby at the top, relying on subtle pushes or pulls to work past defenders. It’s a coachable flaw, but if not cleaned up, that habit will put him at risk of drawing flags at the NFL level.
Despite measuring just 5-11, Montgomery has shown surprising effectiveness high pointing the football. This aspect of his game clearly draws on his basketball background, Montgomery resembling a smaller forward going up for a rebound. He attacks the ball with aggressiveness and well-timed jumps, and his downfield tracking ability looks natural on tape, allowing him to play much bigger than his listed height.
Conclusion
Montgomery’s Senior Bowl breakout gives him real a real chance at getting drafted if he shines at his pro day. Turn on the tape and it’s more of the same as what he showed in Mobile: technically sound, aggressive at the catch point, and remarkably advanced for someone who has only been playing the game for a couple of years.
His age will be a concern. Turning 25 before his rookie season will have teams questioning whether he’s already close to his athletic ceiling. He consistently looked like a physically superior athlete to his opponents, but he was also older and faced limited competition. Even if his athleticism is near its cap, his technical growth is not.
The most promising aspect of Montgomery’s profile is how quickly he has mastered the fundamentals of the position. Going from never playing the sport to dominating against top competition in Senior Bowl practices is no small accomplishment. Teams will value how coachable he is and how quickly he absorbs instruction.
His best NFL projection is as a three-level slot receiver. His route-running, middle toughness, and sharp breaks to create separation should translate quickly in that role. He fits best in a West Coast-style passing offense that leans on twitchy receivers to separate with timing and precision.
A realistic comparison for Montgomery is Keelan Cole. Like Cole, he was a lower-division standout who has a chance to carve out a multi-year NFL career. They share similar frames, route-running reliance, and an aggressive approach at the catch point. Montgomery started behind the eight-ball in his football journey, but he’s made remarkable strides to put himself firmly on the NFL radar.
NFL Draft Projection: Mid-Late Day 3
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.7 – 7.6
Games Watched: @ Muskingum (2024), @ Wilmington (2024), vs. Otterbein (2024), @ Johns Hopkins (2025), @ Wittenberg (2025), @ Denison (2025), @ Berry (2025), @ North Central (2025)
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