The Cleveland Browns have four quarterbacks ready to go entering training camp.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a No. 1 quarterback, at least for the long run.
They took Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft and gushed about him as a potential starter.
However, former NFL wide receiver Cecil Shorts III doesn’t see him that way.
Shorts said that though Gabriel might be able to play in the league, he may never be more than a backup.
“When every expert says he’s the ninth or 10th best quarterback, somewhere between a third-day draft pick … they don’t pan out to be starters. Can he play in the league? He probably can. He can play, bounce around, be a backup, not doubting that part. But the Browns are looking for a franchise-changer, somebody that can really take over a game and change the entire franchise, put it on his back, and lead us to the Super Bowl. It’s hard for me to say you’re going to get that from Dillon Gabriel,” Shorts said, via the “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.”
.@CShortsIII says all eyes will be on Dillon Gabriel once he gets his shot
▶️: https://t.co/beYEfLpNYz pic.twitter.com/xBnaEVCbdY
— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) July 20, 2025
That seems to be the consensus around Gabriel, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a third-round quarterback.
It’s all about expectations and potential roles.
If the Browns want him to be their backup, that’s just fine.
But if they intend for him to be their savior, they might be in for a rude awakening.
Gabriel’s physical limitations and the fact that he’s left-handed make his prospects in the league a little bleak.
That doesn’t mean he’s not going to have a long and successful career in the NFL, as players have outperformed their draft status many times in the past.
Then again, it’s hard to believe that almost every scout and expert was wrong about Gabriel, except for the Browns’ scouting department.
Some teams reportedly didn’t even have him on their draft board, and it’ll be interesting to see whether he gets on the field in his first season.
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