The Cleveland Browns turned heads on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, selecting Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel with the 94th overall pick in the third round.
It's clear Oregon has a type. Dillon Gabriel followed in Bo Nix's footsteps as an experienced college vet who finished his amateur career with a bang in Eugene. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior, leading the Big Ten in completions (326) and yards per game (275.5). He completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The résumé stacks up, but the timing came as a mild surprise. The Browns passed on Shedeur Sanders, once considered an option at No. 2, and left other established quarterbacks, such as Ohio State national champ Will Howard, on the board. Gabriel thrived at the college level, but his age, lack of size and limited arm talent are points of concern for NFL scouts.
Clearly, the Browns are convinced, though, which means Gabriel steps into the league with a golden opportunity to get on the field sooner than later.
That brings us to Kenny Pickett, whose pathway to starting in Cleveland has already become overrun with weeds and uncertainty.
Browns' Dillon Gabriel pick complicates Kenny Pickett's path to QB1 status
Oregon's offense does not align very well with NFL schemes, but Bo Nix proved that experience and a quick trigger can translate to professional success. The Browns will hope for Gabriel to follow a comparable arc.
His selection crowds the Cleveland QB room. Pickett arrived via offseason trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, replacing Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Then, Cleveland inked Joe Flacco to a one-year deal with hefty on-field incentives. Head coach Kevin Stefanski will have three options when camp opens, and there's a world in which it's an open competition in every direction — not unlike what Nix endured with the Denver Broncos last summer.
Now, Nix was the 12th overall pick. Gabriel went 94th, so it's not a direct comparison. But Cleveland's QB room is wide open and Gabriel feels like the only quarterback with any sort of long-term equity. Pickett is only a couple years older, but he has a track record of disappointment dating back to his days in Pittsburgh. Pickett looked fine as the Eagles' backup last season, but that is pretty much the optimal setting for a weak-armed QB, so take it with a grain of salt.
Flacco feels like the favorite (?) if one exists. He was shockingly productive in a brief stint with the Browns in 2023. He brings tons of high-level experience and, somehow, the best arm, even at 40 years old. Mobility and consistency are major concerns with Flacco, but he has far more cachet than the other options in Cleveland.
So... Pickett is in a tough spot. Not only does he need to beat out the former Super Bowl champ who won Comeback Player of the Year in Cleveland just recently, but he needs to beat out the upstart rookie whom the Browns just invested meaningful draft capital in.
Pickett has said he plans to start, but there's a good chance he's QB3 when the dust settles. Life comes at you fast.