The Cleveland Browns passed on Shedeur Sanders several times before drafting Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round to fill a need.
Gabriel was one of the draft’s most accomplished quarterbacks, spending six years in college at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. He now holds the FBS record for career passing touchdowns (155) and total touchdowns (189).
Gabriel had a terrific season with the Ducks, passing for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns. He threw six interceptions in 64 career games, for a total of 32.
“We spent a significant amount of time with Dillon throughout this process. “Decorated college career, very accurate, very poised; thought he had a really well-rounded game,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said following the selection.
Gabriel’s height is the most serious criticism he faces; he measured only 5-foot-11 at the combine, far below the requirement for an NFL quarterback.
“I’m not for everyone,” Gabriel told CBS Sports. “For the wrong NFL evaluators, (they’re) teams I don’t want to be on in that circumstance anyway. I believe that alignment is critical at all levels, including coaches, players, and ownership.
For me, every team I’ve met with that I’m very proud of has told me they don’t care. They value me for the correct reasons, which include decision-making, efficiency, and accuracy in translation. To be honest, all of the guys who did it were fine. “To each their own… I don’t want to be like anyone else.”
Gabriel will be joining Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in the Browns’ quarterback room.
Meanwhile, Sanders’s dismal performance continued into the third round. Despite meeting with him several times and sending a strong group to Colorado’s pro day, the Browns ultimately expressed little interest in getting Sanders on board.
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