Steelers Absolutely Need To Be Looking At Fast-Rising Small-School Wide Receiver At Senior Bowl

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a slight disadvantage at the Senior Bowl. Due to the timing of the Mike McCarthy hire, he and General Manager Omar Khan are not present at the Senior Bowl. There are plenty of scouts there, led by assistant general manager Andy Weidl to watch everything that is going on in Mobile, Alabama, but not having the main men there would likely hurt all of these prospects' chances of getting selected by Pittsburgh, as well as other teams that are filling in coaching vacancies at this time. 

There is one play that everyone is talking about that these Steelers scouts need to play close attention to: Wide Receiver Tyren Montgomery out of Division III John Carroll University. The 5'11 route-running star has caught the attention of everyone, as reported by Jordan Reid of ESPN.

"Montgomery has not only proved that he belongs, but he has been one of the best players in the first two days of practice," Reid said. "The Division III standout continued to make plays, including a highlight-reel catch in which he skied over San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson in the end zone. Montgomery was on the NFL radar as a late-round hopeful, but he has certainly improved his stock. In speaking to scouts on the sideline during practice, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder has generated the most buzz among all wide receivers in Mobile."

It's ultra-rare that a D-III prospect gets an invite to the Senior Bowl, let alone a spot on an NFL roster. Montgomery is becoming a hotter prospect than nearly every D-I wideout at this point, and some projections now have him going in the third round of the draft, which is insane for where he came from. He could be the ultimate American Dream story if he keeps performing as well as he has been lately. 

There are always questions to if a player's skillset translates to the NFL level. There are two skills in particular that stick with a player through the pros: soft hands and strong route running. During Senior Bowl workouts, Montgomery has shown that he has both of those skills and that he can use them at a high level. He is exactly what the Steelers need at the receiver position, and they need him badly.

The Steelers have not had a high-end route runner on the team since Diontae Johnson was traded away in the 2024 offseason. They have plenty size and speed at the position, but that can only do so much against the smartest defensive minds in the sport. Nobody in Pittsburgh has shown the ability to separate well except for Roman Wilson, who became a healthy scratch at the end of the season. 

Steelers Could Benefit From More Than Just Montgomery

There are many projections that believe that the Steelers will draft a wide receiver in the first round. At this point, with the lack of overall talent at the position, doubling up on the position would not be a bad idea. They can select a player with high-end talent in the first round, then use one of their many third-round picks to take Montgomery to add a more stable piece that could also develop into a star. 

What do you think about Montgomery's impressive Senior Bowl outing? What pick would you want the Steelers to draft him at? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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