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OTAs & Minicamp

Dillon Gabriel embracing quarterback competition and chance with the Browns | OTAs & Minicamp

Gabriel joins a quarterback room that has a variety of experience in rookies and veterans

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Before QB Dillon Gabriel stepped out onto the grass at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for the second day of rookie minicamp, he already felt like he was where he belonged.

Taken with the 94th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Gabriel now begins the next stage of his career in the NFL. His first two days in the building have consisted of meetings and practices, learning the playbook and getting acclimated to the NFL.

"I think this is definitely a place where I thrive," Gabriel said. "Being able to get back in the building and I think within six months of the draft process, you are kind of team-less and a lot of time for you to build and grow individually. But this is where I thrive, being in a team environment. That's how you play the game of football."

In the first couple of days with the Browns, Gabriel said he is noticing some similarities with the playbook to his time in Oregon. He's learning the new verbiage that the Browns use for the offensive system and working on grasping the playbook whether through his own studying, in meetings, walkthroughs or installs.

Check out action of all the Browns rookies from the practice fields at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for rookie minicamp.

As Gabriel adjusts to his new team and new surroundings, he also is walking into a four-man quarterback competition with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fifth-round draft pick Shedeur Sanders.

But Gabriel has been here before.

"It's not new to me. I've done it at every stop, and I've done it at every level. So, thank goodness for that and great preparation in that. But also know that my competition is yesterday. How can I be better than I was yesterday? So that's what I'm focused on and continue to create an environment that you want to be a part of and that's all you can do."

Gabriel started 25 of 26 games in his three seasons at UCF before then transferring to Oklahoma and earned the starting job for the Sooners. He started all 24 games over two seasons before transferring to Oregon. He once again earned the starting job for the Ducks and started all 14 games during the 2024 season.

He will experience that quarterback competition once again at the next level with the Browns.

"With competition, how I approach it, I'm trying to beat myself yesterday," Gabriel said. "Just any chance I can be 1 percent better than that. That's how I look at it. And naturally – you play the quarterback position, only one guy can play. So, there's naturally going to have competition at all levels. And that's why we're in this game, we love it. And if you're a competitor, you love it and you run towards it. So that's what I do."

Check out action of all the Browns rookies from the practice fields at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for rookie minicamp.

The early stages of that competition began during rookie minicamp when Gabriel and Sanders took the field. They both took reps during all the periods, alternating throwing the football during individual drills and switched off between groups during team drills.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said their intention throughout rookie minicamp was to split the reps between Gabriel and Sanders, adding competitive periods into the script to get them as many reps as possible.

"You may get the first rep of practice with the ones, but then the next period you may get the second group. So, we vary it throughout. We're focused more on the totality of this competition," Stefanski said. "I told the players last night, we tell them this – we're evaluating everything they do out on the field, in the meeting room, in the weight room. We want to see how they work. So, this is a total evaluation. It's not just about one rep at rookie minicamp or one rep in an OTA. It's really all about the body of work."

Even in the midst of competition, Gabriel knows that he can learn from Flacco, Pickett and Deshaun Watson, as well as Sanders. He understands the importance of having a healthy quarterback room that has an environment of encouraging one another to be their best. And through it all, he is focused on his goals.

"I got to continue to dominate the moment and have great practices," Gabriel said. "Every day I approach is like, 'I'm going to go get that rep,' and I live like that."

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