While the day was filled with snippets of Shedeur Sanders‘ reps at Browns Organized Team Activities today, the real news happened off the field as third-round rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel signed his rookie contract, according to a team announcement. No contract details have been released. 
With Deshaun Watson dealing with injury and the quarterback room consisting of only a 40-year-old Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett on his third team in as many years, the Browns were constantly linked to a rookie quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. While many assumed that that quarterback would in some way or another end up being Sanders, a historically strange slide led to five other passers hearing their names called before Sanders. One of those names was Gabriel’s, which came at No. 94 overall.
After six years playing college football (three at UCF, two at Oklahoma, and one at Oregon), Gabriel only got better and better, even after a left clavicle injury ended his time with the Knights. Overall, Gabriel proved to be an elite producer who could protect the ball and score with his arm or his legs. He went 46-17 as a starter with the Knights, Sooners, and Ducks, showing an impressive ability to pick up new systems quickly and effectively.
That, contrasted with Sanders, who has worked under the same offense under the same coach since high school, could be a reason that Gabriel’s name has been seeing much more run in recent days as a contender for a role as QB1 or 2. One of the latest reports we’d seen saw Gabriel seemingly looking like the QB2 behind Pickett. The lefty seems to be making quick progress as he learns his fourth new offense in five years.
There will still be plenty of time for Gabriel to challenge Pickett or for Sanders to challenge them both or even for Flacco to get back in the picture. Regardless, Gabriel can now get his mind off contract negotiations and put all his efforts into football.
Gabriel is only the third Browns rookie to put pen to paper so far. Here’s how the rest of the draft class is looking:
- Round 1, No. 5 (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 33: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
- Round 2, No. 36 (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
- Round 3, No. 67: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 94 (from Bills): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 126 (from Vikings through Jaguars): Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee)
- Round 5, No. 144 (from Patriots through Seahawks): Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado)
Awesome!! He will eventually be our starter.
So you know, Ely, Sanders was the only QB not to get reps with the first string offense today. Very telling.
Doesn’t mean much esp when browns haven’t been able to identify a franchise QB in almost 30 years.
Knowing the browns they’ll cut Sanders he’ll head to Dallas or Miami as a backup Prescott or Tua get hurt Sanders goes in balls out and Browns are still left looking for a QB
Tell me you’re a Browns hater, without telling me you’re a Browns hater.
toidi
You didn’t prove a single thing I said wrong.
Who was the browns last franchise QB?
Aren’t all draftee’s contracts pretty much pre-determined? Why is there any problem with anybody signing their draft choices? Seems like it should be easy-peasy, done in a day or two. “Welcome to the NFL, here’s your bonus check, here’s your contract, sign them both and we’ll see you at practice…”
Yes they are all slotted by when they were drafted. However, they can negotiate certain things into the contract. For example like guaranteed money, how much of it is a signing bonus, or how much is put into other bonuses (workout, roster, etc).
Generally the agents try and get as much signing bonus and guaranteed money up from as they can.
It’s dipping into the second round already. 2 years it won’t even matter because they’ll all be negotiating and we’re right back where we started.
6 years in college????
injury year redshirt, pandemic year exemption, etc.
I’m pretty sure Bo Nix broke the record for most college starts and than Gabriel broke it again.