The Cleveland Browns deciding on Dillon Gabriel earlier than fellow quarterback Shedeur Sanders within the 2025 NFL Draft appeared surprising, however a brand new report has clarified why the crew made that selection.
In a narrative printed Sunday, Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported the Browns had been involved with Sanders’ “destructive performs” in his closing season at Colorado. Final season, the 144th decide of the 2025 draft tossed a career-high 10 interceptions and took 42 sacks in 13 begins.
Gabriel, in the meantime, by no means threw greater than seven interceptions in six seasons at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. The 94th decide of the 2025 draft additionally proved that he shortly learns new schemes all through his faculty profession.
“He is performed in a number of schemes, picked up new terminology shortly and hit the bottom working in every of his stops,” wrote Cabot. “He is extraordinarily assured, has wonderful management skill and has began an FBS-record 63 video games. He is additionally tied Case Keenum for the all-time FBS document with 155 [touchdown] passes.”
The draft positions of Gabriel and Sanders will decide the depth chart when OTAs start on Could 27, per Cabot.
Gabriel being forward of Sanders might show that the league did not view him as a blue-chip prospect.
“I keep in mind becoming a member of you guys within the fall and saying, ‘Shedeur’s not a top-five man. That is not the kind of participant we’re coping with right here. He is extra of a late one, early two. That is what the expertise says,'” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler stated Friday on the “Scoop City” podcast. “If Shedeur Sanders had Dillon Gabriel’s intangibles, I 100% imagine he would have been drafted someplace within the top-50 picks.”
Sanders should make up floor in Cleveland’s QB competitors between himself, Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco.
Though Gabriel (5-foot-11, 205 kilos) lacks supreme dimension for an NFL QB, the Browns appear to be excessive on him and imagine he is extra pro-ready than Sanders.
