Football Speculations: The Reason Behind Dillon Gabriel's Selection Over Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft
Shocking Brown Decision: Drafting Shedeur Sanders in the Fifth Round
The Cleveland Browns' unexpected selection of Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft left many scratching their heads. The fall of the projected first-round quarterback wasn't the only surprise—the Browns had already picked Dillon Gabriel two rounds prior.
But the Browns weren't the only ones to pass on Sanders for four rounds; they traded up to grab him at pick 144. Many believed that drafting Gabriel was a move borne out of league-wide snubbing of Sanders, but Cleveland had actually scouted and favored Gabriel more than most realized, as per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.
Gabriel had been part of a group of top prospects the Browns hosted on top-30 visits in early March. The roster included Sanders, but Gabriel's inclusion went unreported initially, and the team website only named Sanders and a couple of other athletes at the time. The Browns' top brass also attended a private workout with Gabriel in Eugene, Oregon, and watched him during the Senior Bowl.
According to Oyefusi, the Browns valued the Senior Bowl greatly, where they became fond of Gabriel. Despite the quarterback having six years of college under his belt and concerns over his age, the Browns still considered him their top quarterback choice in round three.
The QB Battle of 2025: Sanders vs. Gabriel
With two quarterbacks now on the roster following the Browns’ departure from Lambeau Field, the team has five signal-callers. Deshaun Watson is still with the team through 2026, and the team signed Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett during free agency.
However, Watson is expected to spend the 2025 season on the injured reserve after sustaining two torn Achilles. Flacco, who started five games for the team in 2023, will serve as the de facto QB1 ahead of training camp. But, let's be honest, Flacco's days of being a 17-game starter are long gone at 40.
Pickett also boasts years of starting experience, but both Gabriel and Sanders are likely to see significant playing time as rookies. Sanders, however, will have to claw his way up the depth chart for the first time in his career—entering training camp as the fourth-string quarterback but with a reasonable shot at the top spot.
Behind the Browns' Move: A Deeper LookThe Browns' decision to trade up for Sanders after passing on him six times may have been influenced by several factors, including:
- Sanders' Assessment: Despite Sanders being projected as a potential first-round pick, he experienced a substantial drop in the draft. The Browns, having spent quality time with him during the pre-draft process, may have deemed him a valuable fifth-round pick.
- Competition and Depth: Drafting Gabriel didn't necessarily dismiss the possibility of selecting another quarterback. Adding Sanders bolsters competition and depth at the position, an essential factor considering the unsettled future of Watson.
- Future Planning: With Watson's long-term future uncertain and his injury history a concern, the Browns might be seeking alternatives for the quarterback position. Both Gabriel and Sanders offer insurance and potential for future development, as the team reassesses its investment in Watson.
- Value in the Draft: The trade to select Sanders suggests that the Browns saw him as significant value, despite using extra draft capital to do so. This move underscores their belief in Sanders' potential as a future asset.
- The Browns' choice to trade up and draft Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, bypassing him six times earlier, could be a strategic move, as they saw him as valuable and a potential future asset.
- Behind the scenes, the Browns were likely inspired to select Sanders due to his assessment, competitive and depth needs at the quarterback position, future planning considerations, and the perceived value he offered in the draft.
- With Deshaun Watson's injury-prone future and short-lived career as a 17-game starter at 40, rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are likely to see significant playing time, as the Browns weigh their options moving forward.
- Sanders will have to work his way up the depth chart, entering training camp as the fourth-string quarterback, but he has a reasonable shot at securing the starting spot, given the QB uncertainty within the Browns' roster.
