A Division III standout with a wild path to Mobile, Tyren Montgomery is turning heads at the Senior Bowl—and could be a real Vikings target.
Wide receiver is an underrated position to monitor as the Minnesota Vikings enter this offseason. Jalen Nailor will be a free agent, and Jordan Addison's off-field issues leave his future in Minnesota murky.
That has led me to pay attention to the receiver group during Senior Bowl week in Mobile, AL. One name that keeps getting brought up is Tyren Montgomery, a wideout from Division III John Carroll.
Montgomery has flown so under the radar that you can't even find him in PFF's system. He's No. 250 on the Consensus Big Board, reflecting his anonymity.
But his name is buzzing in Mobile. He's making plays and showing he could be a viable option not only to be drafted but also to be a potential Day 2 pick.
It's been a crazy ride to get here. Montgomery didn't play football in high school, where he was the captain of his basketball team. He walked on at LSU in 2019, but academic issues made him return home.
Montgomery joined a flag football team in Las Vegas, walked on at Nicholls State in 2023, got injured, and then entered the transfer portal following the season. Through Eddie Franca, who ran his flag football team, Montgomery was connected with John Carroll University, where he made an immediate impact in 2024.
In his first season with John Carroll, the former basketball player caught 57 passes for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns. He added eight runs for 184 yards and three scores on the ground.
The 2025 season was even better. Montgomery hauled in 119 passes for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns. He displayed his versatility once again, running seven times for 104 yards and a touchdown.
That production is impressive for a player who didn’t play football until college, even if the level of competition raises fair questions. So Montgomery received an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he showcased his skills against top draft prospects. He hasn't disappointed, with a strong day on Wednesday.
Montgomery had two highlight plays in particular. He showed off his route-running against North Carolina defensive back Thaddeus Dixon in team drills. Montgomery beat Dixon off the line and created plenty of separation on a slant route, taking it upfield for what would have been a massive gain at worst and possibly a touchdown in a real game.
But Montgomery eventually found the end zone, hauling in a contested catch in 1-on-1s against San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson. His basketball background was on display as he leaped into the air to snag the ball. Johnson, for context, is the No. 41 player on the Consensus Big Board.
Like anything leading up to the draft, this is a small yet significant piece in the run-up to April. But Montgomery is putting on plenty of quality tape that will catch teams' attention. The fact that he is making it look so easy with a limited football background is intriguing.
If the Vikings are looking for a developmental wideout with a rare trajectory, Keenan McCardell could see Montgomery as a fascinating project. Right now, he's on everyone's radar. We'll see how much momentum he can create for himself in the coming months at the Combine and pre-draft workouts.