NFL Insiders Explains Why Browns Drafted Dillon Gabriel

The most shocking move of the 2025 NFL Draft wasn’t Shedeur Sanders falling to Cleveland in the fifth round. It was the fact that Cleveland had already drafted another quarterback in the third round—Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon.

TRAESHON HOLDEN TOUCHDOWN‼️

This throw by Dillon Gabriel tied Case Keenum for most career pass TDs in FBS history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nbVljhxKGy

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2025

I don’t think anyone predicted the 5-foot-10 QB would go before Shedeur Sanders but the Cleveland Browns are a unique enterprise.

Thankfully, we are a few days removed from the draft and local Cleveland reporters may have some new insight behind the Browns Dillon Gabriel decision.

Here’s what Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland had to say about the third-round selection:

“They had him behind [Miami’s Cam Ward], Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough, who were already taken, and ahead of Jalen Milroe, who was taken two spots earlier by Seattle,” Grossi added about the Browns drafting Gabriel. “Shedeur Sanders, who was in the midst of a historic free fall, was sixth on their board after Gabriel and Milroe.” (source)

I suppose this makes sense. If Cleveland evaluated Gabriel as the 4th best quarterback and the three quarterbacks above him were already drafted, it would make sense to pull the trigger on Dillon in the third round.

It’s a shame that draft “expert” Mel Kiper Jr, didn’t know how little these teams thought of Shedeur.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Dealer added more interesting context to the whole situation.

According to Cabot, the Browns “flew out to Eugene, Oregon, the day before they went to Colorado, to Boulder to take (two-way star) Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders to dinner. That happened on April 3. The day before that, they flew to Eugene…they snuck in this private visit and dinner with Dillon Gabriel out in Oregon.”

The Browns were secretly flying out to Gabriel after dinner with Shedeur like Shannon Sharpe leaving a live stream with Ocho Cinco to sneak in a night with his teenage bae. Of course stopping at the ATM first to make sure he had the required $25k a cheek.

Is Dillon Gabriel better than Shedeur Sanders?

Dillon Gabriel has the most touchdowns in college football history and although he may not have the standard physical tools of the more successful QBs in NFL history, he’s athletic in the pocket, can make all the throws and most importantly, he isn’t trying to be a rapper or influencer like Deion’s lame ass son.

Twice in his college career, Gabriel led the nation in both yards AND touchdowns. He is a prolific passer while Sheduer is a screen merchant, earning the highest completion percentage in the country because of how frequently he checked down.

Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has won games with Kirk Cousins, Case Keenum and Old Man Flacco. No doubt in my mind he can turn Gabriel into some version of what Sean Payton did with Bo Nix last season in Denver.

Good luck to Shedeur and his future in podcasting.

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