The Cleveland Browns travel to Acrisure Stadium this weekend for a road matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel will make just his second career start after being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Oregon product has shown poise and command in limited action, but questions about his height continue to follow him into the professional ranks.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch believes those concerns are outdated and don’t reflect the modern game.
“It used to be a disadvantage because everybody wanted this prototypical-type quarterback — 6’5, 230, standing in that pocket — but the evolution of this game needs these quarterbacks to be mobile, and you have to be able to make plays,” Batch said on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Show. “So, you don’t necessarily have to be that 6’3, 6’5 guy anymore; you just have to be able to make the right decision and deliver the football.”
"You don't have to be 6'3, you just have to be able to make the right decisions and deliver the football." #DawgPound @CharlieBatch16 says Dillon Gabriel can succeed in the NFL despite his height.
presented by @drinkgaragebeer https://t.co/B2SOPlU4ej pic.twitter.com/tmEV1143NU
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) October 10, 2025
Batch dismissed the traditional emphasis on size when evaluating quarterbacks. The league has shifted toward mobility and decision-making over physical prototypes, he explained.
Gabriel stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 205 pounds, measurements that once would have raised red flags for NFL evaluators.
Gabriel’s debut against Minnesota offered a glimpse of his potential. He completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
Players like Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, and Drew Brees have proven that success depends more on processing speed, anticipation, and accuracy than physical measurements.
Gabriel will need to continue demonstrating those traits as he develops in Cleveland’s system and faces Pittsburgh’s defense this weekend.
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