The Cleveland Browns selected Dillon Gabriel with the 94th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Shedeur Sanders remains on the board as five quarterbacks have now found homes in the NFL, and the Colorado QB was not one of them.
The Cleveland Browns selected defensive tackle Mason Graham in the first round and then passed on Sanders four times on Day 2, opting to go with a different signal caller.
The Browns Take Dillon Gabriel Over Shedeur Sanders
The Browns started Day 2 of the NFL Draft on the clock, with two picks inside the top four. They selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger out of UCLA, followed by running back Quinshon Judkins from Ohio State. Both were key needs, but the quarterback wasn’t addressed.
Later in the round, general manager Andrew Berry added productive tight end Harold Fannin Jr., securing multiple offensive weapons within just a few picks of one another.
Twenty-seven picks after drafting the tight end, the Browns were on the clock once again with Sanders still on the board. This time, they did opt for a quarterback, but chose Oregon’s Gabriel over the Colorado quarterback.
“We really felt strongly about Dillon throughout this process,” Berry told reporters on Friday. “Think he’s a really strong, really, really good prospect. That’s not to say that we didn’t meet with other quarterbacks that we thought were really talented players and good people, but we felt strong about Dillon and felt he was the best quarterback to pick.
When asked about Sanders specifically, Berry added: “The time that we spent with Shedeur and what he’s done throughout his college career is impressive. He’s an impressive young man. He’s a really good quarterback. Sometimes fit comes into play.”
Here’s the full video of #Browns EVP of football ops and GM Andrew Berry’s response to passing on Shedeur Sanders along with the rest of the NFL through 2 days of the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/hxelbYKhAD
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 26, 2025
The Browns GM went on to say that Gabriel’s lack of size didn’t show up as a problem when they were watching his film.
Sanders now remains without a team and seems destined to be reduced to an NFL backup role at the very best. After Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart were both drafted on Day 1, Tyler Shough landed with the New Orleans Saints on Day 2. Jalen Milroe was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks before Gabriel landed with the Browns.
Gabriel’s Extensive College Experience
Gabriel will head into the NFL with more experience than any other quarterback in the draft. He spent six years in college with three different programs, totaling 18,729 passing yards and 155 career passing touchdowns.
The lefty QB started out at UCF, spending two seasons there before a broken left clavicle ended his third season early in the year. Gabriel then transferred to Oklahoma for two seasons, throwing 54 touchdowns before he made his final stop with the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon enjoyed a 13-1 season in 2024, going undefeated through the regular season before losing in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State. The Browns now welcome the 24-year-old quarterback’s experience to their QB room, which features Joe Flacco, Deshaun Watson (who could be out for the season), and Kenny Pickett.
How the Browns will handle having four quarterbacks on the roster will be an interesting story to watch unfold, especially given Watson’s uncertain future.
Grading the Gabriel Pick
PFSN gave Cleveland’s Gabriel pick a D- grade — the worst of the 2025 NFL Draft so far.
“The Cleveland Browns finally addressed the quarterback position in late Day 2, but it wasn’t the QB many expected. Instead of ending Shedeur Sanders’ slide, the Browns dropped jaws by selecting Dillon Gabriel as an alternative.
“Gabriel was a record-setting collegiate quarterback, but he shouldn’t have been worth consideration so early in the draft, for a Browns team that could still stand to invest in WR, offensive line, or EDGE talent.
“Gabriel is small, has a below-average arm, is volatile operationally, and likely profiles as a backup at best. Even if the Browns didn’t have Sanders on their board, Will Howard would’ve been a much better value pick here.”
It remains to be seen if the Browns made the right choice, but this decision certainly turned heads. Check out PFSN’s complete 2025 NFL Draft Day 2 grades here.