The Cleveland Browns made some surprising moves in the 2025 NFL Draft, including their selection of quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
Gabriel was often ranked below other quarterbacks in the draft, including eventual teammate and fifth-round selection Shedeur Sanders.
However, the Browns believed some of his skills were among the best in his class, according to insider Mary Kay Cabot.
She recently revealed the reason Gabriel was so high on the Browns’ draft board, mentioning one particular area.
“A veteran of three college teams, Gabriel flew under the radar in the predraft process, largely because of his 5-11 height,” Cabot wrote. “But the Browns and other teams loved his ability [to] diagnose and diagram plays, and read a defense. One source told Cleveland.com that his football acumen and processing speed is as good as anyone in his draft class.”
Gabriel was one of the older prospects in the draft, and the 24-year-old enters the league with more maturity than most players.
That experience should help him process plays faster, giving him an advantage in the Browns’ quarterback competition.
Gabriel began his college career at UCF and transferred to Oklahoma before finishing at Oregon in 2024.
In six college seasons, Gabriel completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 18,722 yards and a record 155 touchdowns.
He added 1,209 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in his 64 games.
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