In an era defined by the transfer portal, NIL collectives, recruiting databases, and endless access to film, the idea of a truly hidden football prospect feels almost impossible. Every snap is logged. Every athlete has a profile. Every coach has a connection.
And yet, somehow, Tyren Montgomery slipped through the cracks. Not just once or by one team, but at every level and by everyone.
Tyren Montgomery Is NFL Draft's Hidden Gem
Montgomery, a Division III wide receiver from John Carroll University, has gone from complete football novice to Senior Bowl standout in one of the most unlikely rises in recent memory. He lit up the American Bowl, earned an elevated invite to the Senior Bowl, and has continued to turn heads against some of the best prospects in the country. Scouts are buzzing. Draft boards are shifting.
The obvious question is simple: How did this guy go unnoticed for so long, especially by FBS programs like Arkansas and other FBS schools?
The real answer isn’t easy. But the story of how Montgomery started helps explain everything.
Tyren Montgomery graduated from The Woodlands High School in Texas in 2019, without ever playing high school football. No Friday night lights. No recruiting camps. No Hudl tape. Nothing.
Instead, he walked on as a basketball player at LSU, spending one semester in Baton Rouge chasing a different dream. Eventually, that dream shifted back toward football. But there was a problem — actually, several.
First, Montgomery had never played football at any organized level. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the door on walk-on opportunities, shrinking rosters and eliminating chances for late bloomers. And third, he had nothing tangible to show coaches other than belief in himself.
No stats. No film. No offers. Just a dream.
So, he found a workaround. He began playing competitive flag football, using that tape to showcase his raw athleticism, speed, and ball skills. It wasn’t traditional recruiting material, but it was enough to get one program to take a chance.
Montgomery joined Nicholls State and became eligible to play in 2023. But breaking into the lineup proved difficult. He spent the season never seeing meaningful action. For a player who was already behind in football development, sitting on the sideline wasn’t an option.
So he made another bet on himself. He entered the transfer portal, not chasing NIL money or a bigger brand like many players typically do nowadays , but just chasing actual playing time. That decision changed everything.
Senior Bowl Helping John Carroll's Standout Receiver
Montgomery landed at John Carroll University, one of the most respected Division III football programs in the country. Finally, he got what he needed most: reps.
What followed was the exact breakout he knew he had in him and what he was hoping for.
In the fall, Montgomery shattered school records, finishing the season with:
- 119 receptions
- 1,575 receiving yards
- 17 touchdowns
All three were John Carroll records.
The truth is, Montgomery wasn’t overlooked because of a lack of talent. He was overlooked because he’s still new to football.
That’s the risk-reward equation teams wrestle with, especially at the FBS level. Programs want polish, experience, and more proven.
Montgomery offered none of that early on.
What he offered instead was upside.
This is where events like the Senior Bowl matter.
For small-school prospects, especially those from Division III, these showcases are equalizers. They strip away logos and depth charts and replace them with one-on-one reps against elite competition.
Montgomery hasn’t looked out of place. In fact, he’s looked comfortable and dominant.
How far he rises up draft boards, and where he ultimately gets selected, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Tyren Montgomery is no longer a secret.
It’s fair to wonder what could have been.
If Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman and his staff had somehow identified Montgomery earlier, if they had a crystal ball powerful enough to see where this journey would lead, maybe things look different in Fayetteville. Imagining Montgomery in Razorback red, catching passes from Taylen Green, isn’t hard. It’s exciting. It might have meant a few more wins in the column.
That said, it’s harsh to single out Arkansas.
Every FBS program missed on him.
And that’s what makes Montgomery’s story so compelling. In a time when hidden gems are supposed to be extinct, he proved that belief, persistence, and opportunity still matter.
Tyren Montgomery didn’t follow the traditional path. He built his own.
And now, the football world is finally catching up.