Former Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel Selected on Day 2 of NFL Draft

The first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft have come and gone, and no Oklahoma Sooners were selected.

A pretty significant former Sooner was picked late Friday night, though.

The Cleveland Browns selected former Oklahoma, Oregon and UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel with the 94th overall pick (third round) of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Gabriel began his career at UCF, playing three seasons with the Knights before transferring to OU.

He served as the Sooners’ starting quarterback for two seasons, leading OU to a 16-8 record. In his two seasons in Norman, Gabriel threw for 6,828 yards, 55 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and also rushed for 12 touchdowns.

Following the 2023 season, before Oklahoma finished 10-3 and lost to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, Gabriel transferred to Oregon.

Trio Hopes to Keep Oklahoma's NFL Draft Streak Alive

With the Ducks, Gabriel was similarly stellar.

Gabriel completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading the Ducks to the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. He also was the Big Ten Conference's Most Valuable Player and a Heisman finalist, finishing third place in the voting.

Gabriel threw 155 touchdown passes throughout his career, the most of any NCAA Division I FBS quarterback all-time. He also finished his college career with 18,722 passing yards, the second-most behind Houston’s Case Keenum.

With three rounds completed in the 2025 draft, Gabriel is the only player with Sooner ties to be selected thus far. Linebacker Danny Stutsman, safety Billy Bowman Jr. and defensive end Ethan Downs, though, seem likely to be selected on Saturday (Rounds 4-7).

Gabriel joins a Browns squad in desperate need of a spark behind center.

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is expected to be the team’s starter, and the Browns signed former Steeler signal caller Kenny Pickett to be a backup during the offseason. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland’s 2024 Week 1 starter, is out indefinitely with an achilles injury.

The Browns have started 40 quarterbacks since returning to the NFL in 1999. Cleveland went 3-14 in 2024, and the franchise has reached the playoffs just three times since 2000, including one with former Sooner Baker Mayfield as the starter.

Gabriel was the fifth selection by the Browns of the 2025 draft, following defensive lineman Mason Graham (Michigan), linebacker Carson Schwesinger (UCLA), running back Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State) and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green).

He was the fifth quarterback taken this year. Cam Ward of Miami went first overall to the Tennessee Titans, and the New York Giants picked Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart with pick No. 25. The New Orleans Saints selected Louisville's Tyler Shough in the second round, and the Seattle Seahawks chose Jalen Milroe of Alabama two picks before Gabriel.