The
Cleveland Browns
has chosen a quarterback in the NFL Draft, though it isn’t Shedeur Sanders.
In the 94th selection of the draft, the Browns chose Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was definitely not expected to be picked so early in the second round by many experts.
Gabriel represented three distinct colleges, having stints at Central Florida and Oklahoma prior to joining Oregon in 2024.
The 24-year-old had an outstanding season with the Ducks, passing for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only six interceptions while maintaining a completion rate of 72.9%. Additionally, he scored seven times through rushing and ended up placing third in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Despite his impressive college performance, Gabriel’s smaller stature and average arm strength led many to believe he would be picked on day three of the draft. However, much to everyone’s surprise, Cleveland decided to choose him in the third round on Friday evening.
When the Browns selected Gabriel,Sanders was seated right beside them,it turned out to be among the most shocking choices of the draft.
This off-season, Cleveland signed both Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco as Deshaun Watson recovers from a torn Achilles, and Jameis Winston left through free agency. Given these circumstances, it seems likely that Gabriel will begin 2025 sitting on the sidelines.
Could the Browns see Gabriel as their long-term solution at quarterback? Or did they simply think he was the top player available when they made the pick? With next year’s quarterback crop looking particularly strong, only time will tell.
The article was initially posted on
www.si.com/nfl/browns
as
Cleveland Browns Select Unexpected Quarterback in NFL Draft
.
