Who are Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel?

DAZN News takes a closer look at where the two rookies fit in and what their career paths might hold.

Where were Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel selected in the NFL Draft?

Dillon Gabriel's six-year college journey took him through UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon, and that extended run helped him etch his name in the FBS record books. He set the all-time mark for starts (63), scored more total touchdowns than anyone in FBS history (189), and tied Case Keenum for the most career passing touchdowns.

At 24 years old, Gabriel is older than most rookie prospects, and at only 205 lbs, he's lighter than ideal. But he has dual-threat capability, throws with good touch, and his credentials cannot be overlooked. As a redshirt senior, he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, was a Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, and earned a spot on the FWAA All-America first team.

Gabriel was the fifth quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft and was taken in the third round, with the 94th pick overall.

Shedeur Sanders was a standout at Jackson State and Colorado, where he famously played under his head coach and father, Hall of Fame NFL cornerback Deion Sanders. Shedeur Sanders was known for outstanding timing and accuracy, which helped him to win the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Many draft experts predicted the 23-year-old would be taken early in the draft, with some even entertaining the idea he could go first overall. However, in arguably the most dramatic story of draft night, Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round before being picked by the Browns with the 144th overall selection. He was the sixth quarterback off the board.

The Cleveland Browns announced Gabriel as the starting quarterback ahead of their huge Week 5 London showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.

Career outlook

Many believe Sanders is a more talented quarterback than Gabriel, and that Sanders' draft-day slide was due to maturity concerns rather than questionable talent. If true, and assuming he demonstrates the maturity that NFL teams covet, Sanders may emerge as the Browns' quarterback of the future.

With that said, the disparity in draft capital suggests the Browns viewed Gabriel as the more likely of the two to become a success.

The media attention and intense level of scrutiny about the quarterback competition might unsettle most rookies, but Sanders is taking it all in his stride.

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