#36

Jayden Montgomery

LB · Iowa · Jr. · #36

Returning to Iowa for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Jayden Montgomery

LB · Iowa · Jr · #36

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#1451 national
CFB
College
Iowa
2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2025Iowa9-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Iowa44241.00.02----
Career44241.00.02----

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 18 · 2025

W 34–27

at Vanderbilt

8 TOT  ·  3 SOLO

A wire-to-wire battle — won by 7 on the road.

How he plays

Play style

Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Iowa

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Iowa

Returning around him

  • 49% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
  • 7 Iowa players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: +7 net (15 in / 8 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Iowa · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #42 · 2026 recruiting class #26

DNA match

Player DNA

Balanced Linebacker

Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Korey Smith’s 2025 season.

Korey Smith

76%match

Middle Tennessee · 2025

#2

Josh Anglin

Tulsa · 2025

71%
#3

Trevor Price

Nevada · 2021

68%
#4

Jacob Manu

Washington · 2025

68%
#5

Quinton Urwiler

Northern Illinois · 2024

66%

Matches Korey on

Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate

Differs from Korey on

Class year (higher)
Hurry rate (higher)
Height (lower)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Taariq Al-Uqdah's freshman season at Washington State (2023).

Washington State · 2023

#2

Jiquan Sanks

Cincinnati · 2024

75%
#3

Matthew Littlejohn

California · 2023

73%
#4

Karene Reid

Utah · 2021

73%
#5

Antonio Fletcher

Arkansas State · 2020

All-Sun Belt
73%

Matches Taariq on

Weight
Tackle volume
PD rate

Differs from Taariq on

Height (lower)

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #7476

Final rank
#7476
Avg #7762.7
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #7476 this season.