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4 freakishly athletic Cleveland Browns players you might not know about

By Elliot Kennel

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 16: Wide Receiver KhaDarel Hodge #12 of the Cleveland Browns watches the play against the New York Jets in the first half at MetLife Stadium on September 16, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images).
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 16: Wide Receiver KhaDarel Hodge #12 of the Cleveland Browns watches the play against the New York Jets in the first half at MetLife Stadium on September 16, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images). /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – AUGUST 17: Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery #83 of the Cleveland Browns goes up for the passed ball as cornerback Rock Ya-Sin #34 of the Indianapolis Colts defends during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – AUGUST 17: Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery #83 of the Cleveland Browns goes up for the passed ball as cornerback Rock Ya-Sin #34 of the Indianapolis Colts defends during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

D.J. Montgomery has speed to burn

D. J. Montgomery is even faster than Donovan-Peoples Jones, based on a 4.43 40-yard dash time at his Pro Day, with an even more mercurial 1.52 ten-yard split. He also had a 37.5-inch vertical jump. Montgomery put up better numbers in college than Peoples-Jones, but he played for the Austin Peay Governors, which is an FCS school.

However, Montgomery was impressive in the pre-season last year. They threw at him six times and he snagged five balls for 124 yards, a 24.8-yard average.  He did everything that was asked of him in the pre-season last year, but the Browns were just not much interested in throwing the ball to secondary wide receivers.

What the heck? Why didn’t this kid play last year, especially when the Browns could not find any wide receivers that they liked after Odell Beckham, Jr., and Jarvis Landry? There are many mysteries about the 2019 Cleveland Browns, and the reason for burying Montgomery in the depth chart is one of the deepest of all mysteries.

In general, the 2019 Browns were just not very much interested in depth wide receivers. Damion Ratley was the closest player to becoming a number three wide receiver, but the Browns used him less than any other number three wide receiver in the NFL.

Ratley was just a hair slower than Montgomery at 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, but his vertical was a half-inch higher at 38 inches.

The main argument against Montgomery is that he played for a small university in FCS.  But he has had an entire year to absorb a pro playbook and become proficient running pass patterns.  This year he should be ready to go, if he was not ready last year.

Suddenly, with all these speed guys, it behooves them to play well on special teams.  That brings us to the nextathletic freak.

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