After watching last season's Alamo Bowl, the Chicago Bears knew David Montgomery was their man.

According to The Athletic's Adam Jahns, Bears general manager Ryan Pace loved the way the Iowa State Cyclones' running back played.

When David Montgomery ran for an eight-yard touchdown against the Washington State Cougars in the Alamo Bowl, he lowered his shoulder into a defender at the goal line. Montgomery was so strong, he sent the opposing player reeling at the goal line.

Pace went on to tell Jahns about Montgomery's intangibles.

It confirmed everything that I had seen on tape. First of all, you could see him being out there in pre-game on the sidelines.

You could feel his size. He's a big back. It's just how locked in he was.

Watching the game live, (it's) just the athleticism, the quickness within the hole to make people miss in small areas.

All the things we talked about with him, it was just underlined and confirmed in a live evaluation. I walked away from that with conviction.

Pace isn't alone in his assessment of Montgomery, the 73rd overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter predicts he will make it to the 2019 NFL All-Rookie Team.

More specifically, Reuter says Montgomery “will be what Jordan Howard wasn't for the Bears last season: elusive, and able to break off five- or six-yard runs to keep the chains moving.”

Howard was one of the more successful running backs in the Bears' recent franchise history. If there's one player who can help Bears fans forget about him, it's Montgomery.

Chicago finished a respectable 11th in the NFL in rushing offense in 2018 (1,938 yards). Expect Montgomery to help the Bears remain competitive on the ground. He should carry a heavy load in his first year as a pro.

Bears fans should be excited about David Montgomery. He will make a difference.