The 23-year-old was a stud for the Cleveland Browns when he was on the field ... but that became less frequent when he faced several suspensions for off-field incidents.

But, the ex-Florida Gator has an opportunity to put all that behind him -- and in his home state -- by signing with the Vipers on Thursday.

It's worth noting -- if the XFL maintained its zero-tolerance policy on players having a criminal record, Callaway wouldn't be getting this opportunity. But, the new league has since backtracked on that stance.

Callaway -- currently suspended by the NFL -- was punished multiple times for getting into legal trouble ... including an August 2018 arrest for having weed and gun parts in his car.

AC also had difficulty getting to games and practice on time ... and the Browns eventually decided to cut him in November. His current NFL career stats stand at 51 receptions for 675 yards and 5 TDs.