Shockwaves as Browns Prioritize Dillon Gabriel Over Shedeur Sanders
The 2025 NFL Draft was full of wild swings, but nothing grabbed attention quite like the Cleveland Browns using their third-round pick on Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, snubbing the heavily hyped Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel, who set an FBS record with 155 career touchdowns, was taken 94th overall as the fifth quarterback off the board. Most draft boards had him penciled in for Day 3—solid, experienced, smart, but not flashy. Yet here was Cleveland, elevating a player most thought would be a later gamble instead of a headline act.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry pulled back the curtain a bit after the selection, saying, “We really felt strongly about Dillon throughout this process.” It’s not just a throwaway line. Cleveland’s front office leaned into Gabriel’s polish, experience, and the sense that he’s a plug-and-play backup rather than a long-term project. One scout described Gabriel as someone who “knows exactly who he is as a quarterback.” He doesn’t blow up highlight reels with crazy arm talent, but his command of offenses—spread, pro-style, hurry-up—is hard to ignore.
What about Sanders? His name rang out in early mock drafts as a possible round one stunner. Instead, he sat through seven rounds without a call. So, what happened? For starters, the chatter behind closed doors focused on his readiness for an NFL backup role. Decision-makers doubted whether Sanders could adapt to being a clipboard holder instead of a star. There were whispers about his famous family—his father, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, coaches him at Colorado—and whether that could complicate his adjustment to NFL life. Teams weren’t sure if he’d accept a supporting cast role or if off-field attention would follow him everywhere.
- Gabriel became the fifth signal-caller off the board, beating expectations.
- Sanders, once a top prospect, went undrafted despite strong college production and name recognition.
- The Browns singled out Gabriel’s game-readiness and team fit as key reasons for their choice.
- Concerns around Sanders centered on not just his play, but his transition to the NFL environment and role expectations.
Diverging Draft Strategies and New Questions for Quarterback Development
This whole scenario points to how unique each front office’s approach has become, especially when it comes to quarterbacks. Teams talk a lot about tools and upside, but fit, maturity, and temperament shaped Cleveland's decision. They wanted someone ready to step in and manage a game if called upon, not a player who might need two years and a PR strategy. Berry even admitted, “Sometimes fit comes into play,” nodding to how Cleveland has cycled through quarterbacks looking for both talent and the right locker room presence.
Meanwhile, Sanders’ slide lit up the analyst hotlines. Some scouts argued he still has the best arm of the next tier of QBs, but others pointed to inconsistent decision-making at the college level and a tendency to drift outside of structure. One AFC executive put it bluntly: “People want a backup who isn’t a distraction. He’s not ready to blend in.”
The split over Gabriel and Sanders isn’t going away soon. The Browns go all-in on a guy who fits their plan today, while Sanders faces a crossroads that would have seemed impossible a year ago. For fans, this is another example of how unpredictable the 2025 NFL Draft can be—and just how much more teams value intangibles when it comes to the most important position on the field.
