While the day was filled with snippets of Shedeur Sanders‘ reps at the Browns’ organized team activities Wednesday, the real news happened off the field as third-round rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel signed his rookie contract, according to a team announcement. No contract details have been released.
With Deshaun Watson dealing with injury and the quarterback room consisting of only a 40-year-old Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett on his third team in as many years, the Browns were constantly linked to a rookie quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. While many assumed that that quarterback would in some way or another end up being Sanders, a historically strange slide led to five other passers hearing their names called before Sanders. One of those names was Gabriel’s, which came at No. 94 overall.
After six years playing college football (three at UCF, two at Oklahoma and one at Oregon), Gabriel only got better and better, even after a left clavicle injury ended his time with the Knights. Overall, Gabriel proved to be an elite producer who could protect the ball and score with his arm or his legs. He went 46-17 as a starter with the Knights, Sooners and Ducks, showing an impressive ability to pick up new systems quickly and effectively.
That, contrasted with Sanders, who has worked under the same offense under the same coach since high school, could be a reason that Gabriel’s name has been seeing much more run in recent days as a contender for a role as QB1 or 2. One of the latest reports we’d seen saw Gabriel seemingly looking like the QB2 behind Pickett. The lefty seems to be making quick progress as he learns his fourth new offense in five years.
There will still be plenty of time for Gabriel to challenge Pickett or for Sanders to challenge them both or even for Flacco to get back in the picture. Regardless, Gabriel can now get his mind off contract negotiations and put all his efforts into football.
Gabriel is only the third Browns rookie to put pen to paper so far. Here’s how the rest of the draft class is looking:
- Round 1, No. 5 (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 33: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
- Round 2, No. 36 (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
- Round 3, No. 67: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 94 (from Bills): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 126 (from Vikings through Jaguars): Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee)
- Round 5, No. 144 (from Patriots through Seahawks): Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado)
