Browns’ Kevin Stefanski Makes Bold Dillon Gabriel Announcement

The Cleveland Browns could make an intriguing decision on their new rookie quarterback.

Mar 31, 2025; Palm Beach, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski answers questions from the media during the NFL Annual League Meeting at The Breakers. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

With the Cleveland Browns' latest selection of Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it now looks like head coach Kevin Stefanski might be preparing for a three-way quarterback battle for the start of next season.

According to Stefanski, Gabriel will have a chance to compete for the starting quarterback spot alongside Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco.

#Browns 3rd round QB Dillon Gabriel will have a chance to compete for the starting job with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, Kevin Stefanski said.

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) April 26, 2025

Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, Cleveland will be primed with a totally different landscape in the quarterback room from where things stood last season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston are out of the mix, while Deshaun Watson likely remains on the sidelines with his Achilles injury for most, if not all, of next season.

As a result, it seems like Stefanski is leaving the door open to all options for the Browns' starter for the first week of the season, even with Gabriel getting his shot at taking the reins of the offensive unit early on.

Cleveland made a bit of a surprising pick late in day two of the draft, picking up Gabriel at pick 94 to be another option in their signal caller room, both a bit higher than the Oregon product was expected to be selected, and taken over often-rumored Browns prospect, Coloroado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, in the process, who remained on the board going into round three.

During his final season in college with Oregon, Gabriel put together 3,857 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions on a 72.9% completion rate.

The 6-foot quarterback does lack the prototypical size at the position, but he has the ideal traits in terms of strong accuracy and experience to make up for it, and he inevitably made his case for Cleveland's second third-round pick of the night.

Now, with the third-round draft capital invested in Gabriel's services, along with his extensive experience at the college level as a five-year starter, it might not be out of the question to see Cleveland throw their rookie quarterback in the mix early, depending on how things unravel in camp and preseason.