Dillon Gabriel: Rookie Wild Card with Upside
The Browns surprised many draft observers by selecting Dillon Gabriel in the third round this past April. Gabriel, an Oklahoma product (by way of UCF), wasn’t projected by most as a Day 2 pick, but Cleveland clearly fell in love with him during the pre-draft process.
Berry and Stefanski have praised Gabriel’s well-rounded game and extensive college experience. Not only did Gabriel put up gaudy numbers in multiple offensive systems, but his ability to adapt is impressive, as he played for several coaches and schemes in college, which suggests a mental toughness the Browns value.
At just 5-foot-11, Gabriel is on the shorter side for an NFL quarterback, but the team didn’t view his height as an issue at all. Stefanski pointed out that successful quarterbacks come in different shapes and sizes, and he lauded Gabriel’s innate feel for moving in the pocket and finding throwing lanes despite his stature.
Throughout spring OTAs and minicamp, the Browns gave Gabriel a hefty dose of work with the starters. That continued once training camp opened, as he’s been rotating in with the first-team offense at times, especially once Pickett got nicked up. By the second day of camp, Gabriel was already seeing some first-team reps (as Stefanski promised would happen).
He has also shared second-team duties with Shedeur Sanders, alternating series to maximize their snaps. Gabriel has shown flashes of why Cleveland invested in him: a quick release, good anticipation, and surprising zip on intermediate throws. In one practice, he even led a two-minute drill that impressed coaches with his command.
Gabriel’s draft status makes him the more valuable asset, which could give him extra job security. He won’t be cut, and it’s unlikely the Browns would risk trying to stash a third-round quarterback on the practice squad. That means Gabriel is almost certainly sticking around, either as the starter or a backup. His preseason performance will be pivotal: if he outplays the vets in August action, don’t count out this poised rookie as a dark-horse contender to start Week 1.