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Pre-Camp Player Spotlight

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Pre-Camp Player Spotlight: WR D.J. Montgomery

_Training camp is officially underway in Berea, and although it won't include fans packed along the perimeter of the fields or the same schedule it's had in the past, we'll still have position battles and live football action to digest.

We're all excited to see players like Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry back in a Browns uniform, but what about players fighting for a chance to wear the orange and brown in Week 1?

Over the next couple weeks, we'll highlight players who are poised to be in the battle for spots on the 53-man roster._

Check out photos of the rookies and quarterbacks working out Friday

The Player: D.J. Montgomery

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 23

Height: 6-1

Weight: 201 pounds

College: Austin Peay

Before 2020 training camp: Montgomery signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent just before rookie camp in 2019. He was one of the more impressive wide receivers during reps for the second and third teams in training camp last season, and he carried his strong play into the preseason when he caught a touchdown and recorded 124 receiving yards in the first two games. 

Montgomery was in position to potentially snag one of the final receiver spots on the depth chart before he was placed on IR with a hamstring injury midway through camp. If Montgomery replicates his production from last training camp before his injury, then he could move himself to top of the crowded competition for wide receiver depth behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry

It's worth knowing that...: Montgomery has always had an uphill battle just to be on an NFL roster. His college career began at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi, where he caught 12 touchdowns over two seasons before transferring to Austin Peay. He became the fourth player in school history to record double-digit receiving touchdowns in a season and is third on the all-time list.

Even with the college success, Montgomery had much to prove last season to stick around in training camp. Now that he's healthy, he'll take a second shot at making the 53-man roster.

How does he fit? The wide receiver battle will be one of the most intriguing competitions to watch in training camp. Montgomery will be in a competition with eight players jostling for what will likely be three or four open spots in the Week 1 roster, and some of those positions will likely be reserved for players with special teams capabilities. Montgomery might have to work in special teams to be a perfect fit, but his strong performances in the early part of the 2019 preseason are enough to tab him as a player to watch.

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