Chicago Bears: This 2019 draft RB earned Kareem Hunt comparison

The Chicago Bears have not made it clear whether they plan to make a big change at running back or not, but the signs are certainly there.

Jordan Howard has been a workhorse for them going back three years. He scored nine touchdowns this past season but finished under 1,000 yards for the first time in his career while averaging 3.7 per carry. Head coach Matt Nagy has publicly stated his full support of Howard as a key member of the backfield, but it’s apparent his willingness to use Howard the way he’d prefer just isn’t there.

This is because Howard isn’t the type of back that Nagy covets. One who has a nice blend of strong running and capable receiving prowess. The obvious example was Kareem Hunt who was a breakout superstar under Nagy in 2017 when he was the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Hence why the now free agent running back is so heavily connected to Chicago.

However, the Bears may not be willing to venture down that path. They may instead try their luck in the draft. If so, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com thinks the perfect choice for them is David Montgomery of Iowa State. Why? He drew a direct comparison to Hunt.

"“One of the safest runners in this draft with a desirable combination of size, vision, toughness and creativity. He runs with impressive calm and instincts in the midst of interior mayhem, weaving and battering his way through traffic. Smart teams will recognize his ability to create yardage for himself with his eyes, footwork, contact balance and power. Should alleviate concerns about his lack of explosiveness. Montgomery has a pro-ready game and Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) value as a good NFL starter.”"

David Montgomery certainly doesn’t lack the credentials for the Bears

Iowa State was truly a competitor against a number of bigger programs recently and Montgomery was a primary reason for that success. Over the past two years, he ran for over 1,100 yards in each season while scoring 24 touchdowns. He also caught 58 passes, proving his versatility as an offensive weapons. Those are actually close to the numbers Hunt put up at Toledo over his final two college seasons.

The key difference is Hunt was a bit bigger at 6’0, 225 lbs. Montgomery is 5’11 and 216 lbs. It’s a modest gap so there isn’t really any reason to worry. The young man has the sort of quick acceleration, patience, and underrated ability to break tackles that would make him quite a weapon in that Nagy offense. Especially if he’s paired with Tarik Cohen.

Hunt ended up going in the 3rd round two years ago. That bodes well for the Bears who don’t have 1st or 2nd round picks. So if they do end up having eyes for Montgomery, there’s a fair chance he’ll be there when they finally go on the clock.