Three Reasons To Believe In Dillon Gabriel Amid Shedeur Sanders Noise

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has started four games with the Cleveland Browns and has a record of 1-3. His last performance against the New England Patriots was a struggle, having many fans calling for backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders to get his opportunity.

Here are three reasons to still believe in Dillon Gabriel moving forward amid the Sanders noise.

There’s Time For Improvement

Dillon Gabriel Starting Quarterback Shedeur Sanders Rookie NFL Draft Cleveland Browns Oregon Ducks Bo Nix Joel Bitonio — Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) is interviewed after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The quarterback in Eugene before Dillon Gabriel was Bo Nix. Nix was the Ducks starting quarterback in 2022 and 2023. He was selected in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos with the 12th overall pick. Many were critical of the Broncos selecting Nix this high. Through his first few games, it looked like they had a case.

Nix struggled, but at the halfway point of the season, he began to settle in. The Broncos caught fire and finished the season with a 10-7 record and made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Nix finished the year with 3,775 passing yards and 30 total touchdowns.

Nix and the Broncos are off to a great start in 2025 with their 6-2 record. This shows that a rookie quarterback like Gabriel shouldn’t be judged just off his first month of action.

Gabriel’s Ability to Adapt in Different Environments

Throughout his career, Dillon Gabriel has displayed his ability to navigate through different situations and be successful. He played six seasons of collegiate football at three different schools; UCF from 2019-2021, Oklahoma from 2022-2023 and Oregon in 2024.

At UCF, Gabriel threw for 8,037 yards and 70 touchdowns. The Knights went 25-11 while Gabriel was there. After 2021, he transferred to Oklahoma. In his two seasons with the Sooners, he threw for 6828 yards and 55 touchdowns.

Then in his one season with Oregon, Gabriel threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading the Ducks to a Big Ten title. This set the record for career touchdowns by a player in FBS history with 155, tying Case Keenum. He also was one of the Heisman trophy finalists before being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Browns.

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Gabriel’s Preparation Not Going Unnoticed by Teammates

After Gabriel was named the starting quarterback in the middle of this season, Browns players were asked about him. Veteran offensive lineman Joel Bitonio praised Gabriel’s work ethic and preparation to reporters.

“Since day one, in OTA’s and offseason workouts, I think Dillon has been preparing for this moment. He takes notes, he handles his business,” Bitonio said. “You see him on Friday’s and Saturday’s after our practice. He’s always doing that extra walking through the script, walking through the plays. I think he has a handle on what we want to do and what we want to accomplish.”

It appears that Gabriel's teammates have his back and a veteran like Bitonio crediting the way he prepares is a major compliment.