It’s rare for a Division III prospect to generate legitimate buzz ahead of the NFL Draft, but John Carroll University wide receiver Tyren Montgomery put himself firmly on the 2026 Day 3 radar after his strong showing at the Senior Bowl back in January.
Montgomery backed up that hype as a participant at Toledo’s Pro Day on Monday, and the Texas native could be calling Ohio home once again in the near future.
After a quiet start to 2026 free agency at the offensive skill positions, the Cleveland Browns are expected to be in the mix for wide receivers in April’s draft. The Browns hold nine total selections, and much of the pre-draft focus has been on their three selections inside the top 40 picks.
They also hold five selections on Day 3, and their interest in Montgomery is hardly a state secret.
Tyren Montgomery could already be on the Browns’ late-round draft radar
Per Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Browns assistant GM Catherine Hickman was in attendance for Toledo’s Pro Day, and Montgomery had another strong showing, including an impressive 10-foot-8 broad jump.
John Carroll WR Tyren Montgomery at Toledo pro day today
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) March 23, 2026
10’8 broad jump
35.5 inch vertical jump
Unofficial 40 times in the 4.55 range
Montgomery has been meeting with teams via Zoom for more than a month. He’ll work out again at the Texans local pro day
He’s not a burner at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, but his play speed was undeniable on Day 2 of the Senior Bowl, where he firmly planted his flag as a player teams will need to draft, and not hope to sign as a rookie free agent. He’s currently ranked No. 214 on the Pro Football Focus 2026 draft big board.
After the Senior Bowl, Jackson made it clear that Montgomery’s performance was much more than just winning a few one-on-one reps for good social media clips.
“He’s shown noticeable speed and explosion with his routes in other drills,” he wrote, “and there’s certainly been little in practice that’s made him look out of place alongside players with more extensive and more publicized college football resumes.”
The Browns’ biggest roster needs entering the draft are debatable, but left tackle and wide receiver are definitely hovering near the top. There’s been plenty of fodder around Cleveland targeting Ohio State’s Carnell Tate with the sixth overall pick, or potentially Jordyn Tyson or Denzel Boston with their second first-round pick, No. 24 overall via the Jaguars. But GM Andrew Berry’s decision to pass on adding a wideout during the initial surge of free agency puts a double-dip at the position firmly in play for next month's draft.
Cleveland holds a pair of picks in the upper half of the fifth round, and No. 206 overall later in the sixth round. Montgomery should come off the board somewhere in that range, and at this point, no one should be surprised if he ends up staying put in Northeast Ohio.