The Cleveland Browns already envisioned their quarterback plans before Shedeur Sanders’ fall in the 2025 NFL Draft changed everything.
They didn’t think he was worthy of a first, second, third, or fourth-round pick.
However, he was a value pick in the fifth round.
That doesn’t mean the Browns see him as a starter, at least not more than they do Dillon Gabriel, who was a third-round pick.
Former Browns executive Joe Banner recently said that some within the Browns organization are more excited about Gabriel.
“Browns people I talk to, and now some media, [are] starting to say as I said earlier: Despite some [network’s] obsession with Sanders so far, some with the Browns are more excited about Gabriel,” Banner posted on X.
Browns people I talk to and now some media starting to say as I said earlier. Despite some networks obsession with Sanders so far some with the Browns are more excited about Gabriel.
— Joe Banner (@JoeBanner13) July 22, 2025
Whether fans or analysts agree, that’s an entirely different story.
There are strong arguments to be made for and against each of them.
Yet, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which a team would rather start its fifth-round selection over the player it took two full rounds earlier.
The Browns surprised many when they drafted Gabriel, who was expected to be available in the later rounds or even as an undrafted free agent, and that decision sparked even more controversy once they drafted Sanders.
Now, they are competing with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett at training camp.
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