Montravius Adams Bio
Montravius Adams is an American professional football defensive tackle who has played in the National Football League since 2017. Born on July 24, 1995, in Americus, Georgia, he rose to prominence as a five-star recruit out of Dooly County High School before starring at Auburn University. Selected 93rd overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFL Draft, Adams has built a reputation as a durable interior presence across multiple organizations, including the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and competing at roughly 305 pounds, Adams combines the size and length expected of a modern nose tackle with the quickness developed during his Southeastern Conference career. He earned first-team All-SEC recognition as a senior in 2016 and has since established himself as a reliable rotational piece and occasional starter at the professional level.
Early Life and Background
Montravius Adams was born on July 24, 1995, in Americus, Georgia, and grew up in nearby Vienna. He is the son of Debbie Young and Bruce Granville, and he spent his formative years in a tight-knit community in middle Georgia that valued athletics. The region produced a steady stream of college talent, and Adams emerged as one of its most decorated high school prospects.
He attended Dooly County High School, where he played on the defensive line for the Bobcats. As a senior, Adams recorded 127 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks while leading his team to an 11-3 record and an appearance in the Class A state title game. His performance earned him All-State honors for the second consecutive year and an invitation to the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game.
Scouting services recognized Adams as a consensus elite recruit. Rivals.com rated him as a five-star prospect and the third-best defensive lineman in his class. Although Clemson was the first program to extend an offer, Adams used National Signing Day in February 2013 to announce that he would play his college football at Auburn University, choosing the Tigers over several other scholarship suitors.
Path to Professional Football
Adams enrolled at Auburn in 2013 and immediately contributed on the defensive front. He played in 13 games as a true freshman, recording 20 tackles and earning Freshman All-American honors from 247 Sports after notching a sack of Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday on his very first collegiate snap. The following season, Adams started ten of thirteen games at defensive tackle and tallied 43 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, and an interception.
As a junior in 2015, Adams became a permanent starter at nose tackle and produced 44 tackles, three tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, and two forced fumbles. In his senior campaign, he served as a team captain and posted 44 tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss, four and a half sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, two blocked kicks, and a touchdown. His leadership helped transform an Auburn defense that had struggled the previous year, and he was named first-team All-SEC as well as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press, CBS Sports, and the American Football Coaches Association.
Following the 2016 season, Adams participated in the Senior Bowl, where he recorded six tackles, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery to strengthen his draft stock. He declared for the 2017 NFL Draft and was selected in the third round, 93rd overall, by the Green Bay Packers.
Montravius Adams Career
Early Career (2017-2020)
Adams signed his rookie contract with the Green Bay Packers on July 5, 2017, but his first training camp was interrupted by a foot stress fracture that required surgery and caused him to miss the entire preseason. He appeared in a reserve role during his first two seasons while learning the Packers’ defensive system. On November 11, 2018, Adams recorded his first career sack, taking down Miami Dolphins quarterback Brock Osweiler in a 31-12 victory.
By 2020, Adams had grown into a rotational contributor along the interior of the Green Bay defensive line. The Packers placed him on injured reserve on November 25, 2020, and he entered the 2021 offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
Patriots and Saints (2021)
On March 19, 2021, Adams signed with the New England Patriots. He competed for a roster spot throughout the offseason and preseason, but the Patriots released him on August 31 as part of their final cuts. Less than a week later, on September 6, 2021, he signed with the New Orleans Saints. Adams appeared briefly for New Orleans before the team released him on November 16 and re-signed him to the practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2021-Present)
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Adams off the Saints practice squad on November 30, 2021. He appeared in five regular-season games and made his first Steelers postseason appearance in a 41-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. On March 22, 2022, Adams signed a two-year contract extension with Pittsburgh, signaling the team’s confidence in his role along the defensive front.
During the 2022 season, Adams played in all 17 regular-season games, made 12 tackles including one for loss, and started a career-high nine contests. In 2023, he appeared in 13 games and recorded 11 solo tackles along with 13 assisted tackles, highlighted by a forced fumble against the Cleveland Browns. He also made his third career postseason appearance on January 15, 2024, registering one assisted tackle in a 17-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Adams re-signed with the Steelers on March 19, 2024, on a two-year contract. He opened the 2024 season with his first sack as a Steeler, taking down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins on September 8 in an 18-10 victory. A knee injury suffered in Week 7 against the New York Jets sent him to injured reserve, but he was activated on December 14, 2024, and returned to finish the season.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 6 feet 4 inches and approximately 305 pounds, Adams uses his length and natural leverage to anchor against the run and occupy multiple blockers. He is regarded as a scheme-versatile interior lineman who can play nose tackle in three- and four-man fronts, and his lateral quickness has allowed him to contribute on passing downs when healthy.
Notable Events and Milestones
Adams’ most memorable professional moments include his first NFL sack against Brock Osweiler in 2018, his first Steelers sack against Kirk Cousins in 2024, and a Senior Bowl performance in 2016 that helped cement his status as a top-100 draft pick. His three postseason appearances with the Steelers underscore his durability and value as a rotational defender.
Montravius Adams Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Adams is the son of Debbie Young and Bruce Granville. He and his high school sweetheart, Lateisha Gray, welcomed their first child, Montravius Adams Jr., on April 28, 2017, the same year he was drafted into the NFL. Adams has spoken about the importance of family in grounding him through the demands of a professional football career.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into the 2025 season, Adams was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on April 28, 2025, opening a new chapter in his professional career. With several years of starting experience and a clean bill of health after his 2024 knee injury, he remains an attractive depth option for teams in need of interior defensive line help.
At 29 years old, Adams is in the typical prime range for an NFL defensive tackle, and his track record of logging 13 or more games in multiple seasons suggests he can step into a rotational role immediately. His familiarity with multiple defensive schemes, gained across stops in Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh, gives him the flexibility to fit a variety of fronts.
Adams’ next opportunity will likely hinge on his performance during training camp and preseason. Should he land with a contender, his postseason experience and run-stopping ability would make him a valuable piece for a team looking to bolster its defensive line depth for a deep playoff run.