Bears’ top pick has drive to thrive

sprints through that hole, he makes some cuts, makes some moves and he’s gone.”

For Nagy, the real excitement with Montgomery will come when they dial things up in training camp this summer.

But the 5-foot-10, 222-pound running back provided one highlight to beam about in practice Saturday when he made a diving catch of at least 30 yards down the right sideline, showing off pass-catching skills with which Montgomery said he’s “very confident.”

After general manager Ryan Pace traded up to grab him on Day 2 of the draft, Montgomery also is confident he is going to fit in well in his new home and offense. Pace praised Montgomery as a “well-rounded player” who showed off his instincts, vision, ability to make defenders miss and good hands while rushing for 2,925 yards and making 71 catches for 582 yards over three seasons at Iowa State. Montgomery said he thinks he can fill the Bears’ need for versatility at his position.

Turning himself into the player the Bears envision is where that praised work ethic will come into play.

Montgomery said he’s a natural worker and doesn’t really like going out anyway, hence the weekend training sessions. He would rather be working to make sure he makes a permanent break from the rough Cincinnati neighborhood in which he grew up.

“I would say it comes from what I came from, my environment, not wanting to go back, fearing going back to that, fearing going back to being in the streets and fearing actually being hurt from where I’m from,” Montgomery said. “You want to take every day one step at a time, give God the glory and have fun with it.”

Montgomery said he didn’t know much about the Bears before the draft except of Walter Payton, whom he and his grandfather used to watch on film and admire for “his will not to want to go down.” And Montgomery is learning more about the modern-day group too.

He already has heard from quarterback Mitch Trubisky and running back Mike Davis. Nagy also brought in former players Thursday night to meet with the rookies, and Montgomery and rookie running back Kerrith Whyte ate with former Bears running back Matt Forte. Montgomery called him a “very, very wise man.”

“(He was) able to pass some of the gold nuggets that he took from playing here and being such a great back,” Montgomery said. “So I was just definitely trying to soak it all in like a sponge.”

Montgomery plans to do the same when he begins work on the field with Bears veterans later this month during organized team activities.

“Just being able to take different things from the vets when they get here, that’s big for me,” Montgomery said. “Also, trying to be myself and understanding that being myself got me here. So getting here and not changing, as far as in a downward way or trying to be like anybody else. Just really trying to create great habits for myself and great core values for myself and living about them daily.”