Whereas the day was crammed with snippets of Shedeur Sanders‘ reps on the Browns’ organized workforce actions Wednesday, the actual information occurred off the sector as third-round rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel signed his rookie contract, in response to a team announcement. No contract particulars have been launched.
With Deshaun Watson coping with damage and the quarterback room consisting of solely a 40-year-old Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett on his third workforce in as a few years, the Browns have been consistently linked to a rookie quarterback within the 2025 NFL Draft. Whereas many assumed that that quarterback would not directly or one other find yourself being Sanders, a traditionally unusual slide led to 5 different passers listening to their names referred to as earlier than Sanders. A kind of names was Gabriel’s, which got here at No. 94 general.
After six years enjoying faculty soccer (three at UCF, two at Oklahoma and one at Oregon), Gabriel solely acquired higher and higher, even after a left clavicle damage ended his time with the Knights. Total, Gabriel proved to be an elite producer who may shield the ball and rating together with his arm or his legs. He went 46-17 as a starter with the Knights, Sooners and Geese, exhibiting a formidable capability to select up new techniques shortly and successfully.
That, contrasted with Sanders, who has labored underneath the identical offense underneath the identical coach since highschool, may very well be a motive that Gabriel’s identify has been seeing way more run in current days as a contender for a role as QB1 or 2. One of many newest stories we’d seen noticed Gabriel seemingly looking like the QB2 behind Pickett. The lefty appears to be making fast progress as he learns his fourth new offense in 5 years.
There’ll nonetheless be loads of time for Gabriel to problem Pickett or for Sanders to problem them each and even for Flacco to get back in the picture. Regardless, Gabriel can now get his thoughts off contract negotiations and put all his efforts into soccer.
Gabriel is barely the third Browns rookie to place pen to paper to date. Right here’s how the remainder of the draft class is trying:
- Spherical 1, No. 5 (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan) (signed)
- Spherical 2, No. 33: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
- Spherical 2, No. 36 (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
- Spherical 3, No. 67: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Inexperienced) (signed)
- Spherical 3, No. 94 (from Payments): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon) (signed)
- Spherical 4, No. 126 (from Vikings via Jaguars): Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee)
- Spherical 5, No. 144 (from Patriots via Seahawks): Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado)
