Dillon Gabriel: Draft Profile| Girlfriend| Scouting Report| Preseason Stats

Introduction

Dillon Gabriel is one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects entering the NFL in 2025. Though his path has been unconventional—transferring multiple times and showing strong statistical production against questions about his size—Gabriel has drawn attention from scouts, media, and fans alike. This article delves into Gabriel’s background, draft profile, scouting evaluation, preseason performance, and personal life (including girlfriend and relationships), offering a comprehensive resource for fans, analysts, and fantasy football watchers.

Early Life and College Journey

Early Background & High School

• Full name: Dillon Gabriel

• Born: December 28, 2000

• Birthplace: Mililani, Hawaii

• High School: Mililani High School, Hawaii

• As a high school quarterback, Gabriel earned recognition in Hawaii’s local circuits and drew interest from college programs. He was a three-star recruit out of Mililani High.

College Career: UCF → Oklahoma → Oregon

Gabriel’s college career is distinguished by longevity, adaptability, and production. He played at three programs—UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon—and compiled one of the most extensive resumes among recent quarterback prospects.

UCF (2019–2021)

• As a freshman in 2019, he quickly became the starter and posted solid numbers (e.g. over 3,600 passing yards).

• Over the next seasons, he continued to put up big totals in passing attempts and touchdowns, showing consistency early in his career.

• His 2021 season was cut short by injury, which prompted the eventual decision to move to a new program.

Oklahoma (2022–2023)

• Transferred to Oklahoma, where he regained momentum as a starter. He completed 266 of 384 passes for 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions in 2023, while also rushing for 373 yards and 12 touchdowns.

• At Oklahoma, Gabriel’s ability to produce in a power-conference environment elevated his profile.

Oregon (2024)

• He transferred again for his final season, landing at Oregon. This move proved fruitful: Gabriel’s 2024 performance was arguably his best statistical showing.

• In 2024, he posted a 72.9% completion rate, threw for 3,857 passing yards, with 30 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, and added 149 rushing yards with 7 rushing scores.

• He also broke NCAA records for most games played by a quarterback (63 starts), and his cumulative career statistics placed him among the all-time leaders in passing touchdowns and yards.

Overall, Gabriel finished his collegiate career with 18,722 passing yards, 155 passing touchdowns, and 32 interceptions in 63 starts.

His durability, experience, and adaptability across multiple offensive systems make him a unique NFL prospect.

Draft Profile & Combine / Measurables

Physical Measurements & Testing

• Height: 5 ft 11 in

• Weight: ~ 201–205 lbs

• Hand size / arm length / wingspan: These measurables are considered below average; Gabriel’s hand, arm, and wingspan measures place him in lower percentiles among quarterback prospects.

• His athletic testing metrics are considered modest; he doesn’t possess elite speed or explosiveness compared to other QB prospects.

Because of these physical constraints, Gabriel doesn’t have an elite RAS (Relative Athletic Score) compared to QB peers.

Draft Position & Projection

• In the 2025 NFL Draft, Gabriel was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 3rd round, 94th overall.

• Some analysts projected him as a Day 2 (3rd–4th round) pick given his experience and production, while others saw him as a developmental or backup signal-caller.

• The Browns’ selection drew some surprise, as many mock drafts did not have Gabriel going that early, but Cleveland evidently saw traits they valued.

His draft positioning reflects a balance of upside due to experience and production versus concerns about his physical traits.

Scouting Report

Below is an in-depth scouting evaluation, summarizing strengths, weaknesses, and how Gabriel projects at the NFL level.

Strengths

1. Experience & high snap count
   Gabriel logged over 2,300 dropbacks in college, giving him a seasoned perspective.
   His multiple starts at different programs show his ability to adapt to rulebooks and schemes.

2. Pocket awareness and decision-making
   Gabriel shows excellent pre-snap recognition, reads defenders’ leverage, and often processes quickly post-snap.
   He can climb the pocket or extend plays with awareness rather than just pure athleticism.

3. Accuracy and ball placement
   His accuracy on short and intermediate throws is a noted strength—able to hit receivers in stride and navigate tight windows when given time.
   On deeper throws (20+ yards), Gabriel earned a 94.7 PFF passing grade in 2024, ranking among the best in college football.

4. Poise and composure
   Observers often credit him for his calm demeanor under pressure and his ability to operate in two-minute or high-stakes situations.

5. Mobility as a secondary trait
   While not a blazing runner, Gabriel can avoid pressure or move in the pocket, turning broken plays into positive gains.
   He ranked high in 2024 when forced to move outside the pocket, with a 67.4 PFF grade for such scenarios.

Weaknesses & Concerns

1. Size and physical traits
   At 5’11”, Gabriel is undersized for the prototypical NFL quarterback. Arm length, hand size, and wingspan are also considered subpar.
   These limitations raise concerns about his ability to see over the middle, throw into tight windows, and hold up in adverse conditions.

2. Average arm strength / pushing the ball
   He does not possess elite arm talent; when windows narrow or defenders tighten coverage, his ability to force the ball decreases.
   His usage of deep shots is somewhat conservative; he sometimes opts for safer, shorter reads.

3. Age and projection ceiling
   Entering the league at a somewhat older age for a rookie quarterback, some teams may view his developmental upside as limited.
   His physical limitations could cap his potential, especially in vertical or spread offenses.

4. Tight-window throws and contested conditions
   When throwing over the middle or into congested areas, Gabriel sometimes struggles to thread the ball.
   In compressed timing, his margin for error is smaller, given his physical profile.

Projection & Best Schemes

• Role: Many analysts view Gabriel as a “safe developmental backup” or a ceiling of a mid-tier starter if placed in the right system.

• Ideal fit: A West Coast, timing-heavy, play-action or RPO-based system that minimizes vertical downfield reliance and emphasizes quick reads suits his strengths.

• Limitations: He may struggle in offense styles that demand heavy deep passing or strict pocket-only mechanics under heavy pressure.

• Comparison: Some scouts liken him to a more athletic version of Tua Tagovailoa or a polished version of mid-round pocket passers who exceeded expectations.

In short, Gabriel’s path to NFL success depends heavily on scheme fit and coaching support.

Girlfriend / Personal Life

Publicly, there is limited confirmed information about Dillon Gabriel’s romantic relationships or girlfriend. As a college and now professional athlete, he maintains a relatively private personal life, which is common for players wanting to focus on their career and avoid scrutiny.

What is known:

• Media and public sources do not strongly associate Gabriel with a known girlfriend or long-term relationship (as of this writing).

• His public appearances, interviews, and social media largely concentrate on football, team matters, and his progression as a quarterback.

Given the lack of reliable reporting or confirmation, it’s prudent to respect his privacy in areas where data is not verified.

If you like, I can track recent interviews or social media to see if any relationship details have emerged—would you like me to do that?

Preseason Stats & Early NFL Performance

As a rookie entering the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback room, Gabriel’s preseason appearances and early regular-season activity are key to observing how he transitions to the NFL.

Preseason Highlights

• In two preseason outings, Gabriel completed 25 of 37 passes for 272 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

• In one notable preseason game filling in for injured Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel went 13-of-18 for 143 yards, threw a pick-six, and fumbled a handoff.

• His completion percentage (72.2%) in that game surpassed that of Shedeur Sanders (60.9%) in a comparable sample.

• However, BrownsFilmBreakdown and scouting observers note that while there were flashes of accurate throws and composure, the turnovers and mistakes are caution signs.

These performances hint at a quarterback with promise but still needing refinement, particularly in ball security and consistency under pressure.

Early Regular Season Activity

• The Browns made a bold move by benching veteran Joe Flacco after a 1–3 start and inserted Gabriel as their new starter.

• This decision underscores the organization’s belief that Gabriel has upside and that his development could begin immediately, rather than remaining buried deep on the depth chart.

It’s too early to fully assess Gabriel at the NFL level, but these steps show the Browns’ willingness to invest in him.

Unique Angles & Key Takeaways

Resilience Through Transfers

Few quarterback prospects in recent memory have navigated as many program changes as Gabriel—UCF to Oklahoma to Oregon—yet still posted consistent elite production. This adaptability speaks not only to his mental capacity but to his willingness to adjust.

Record-Breaking Durability

Gabriel’s 63 career starts set an FBS record and reflect exceptional availability. For teams wary of injury-prone QBs, that track record is a huge plus.

High Efficiency, Conservative Use of Big Throws

One interesting contrast: although Gabriel’s deep-throw grade is elite when he attempts farther throws, he’s somewhat risk-averse and conservative in frequency.
This suggests coaching and play design heavily influences how often he is asked to stretch the field.

Fit Matters

Gabriel will thrive—or wither—depending heavily on offensive scheme, coaching patience, and developmental support. In the right West Coast / timing-based system, he has a realistic chance to grow into a solid starter. In systems demanding vertical explosion and tight-window arm strength, he’s more likely a backup.

Opportunity With the Browns

By starting Gabriel early in 2025, Cleveland demonstrates confidence and a commitment to letting him gain real-game reps, rather than shelving him on the bench. That early opportunity could accelerate his development curve.

Conclusion

Dillon Gabriel enters the NFL as a compelling mixture of strengths and risks. His experience, accuracy, pocket awareness, and decision-making mark him as a quarterback with legitimate upside. But his physical limitations (height, arm strength), age, and occasional conservative tendencies present real challenges.

Yet the Cleveland Browns’ decision to draft him in the 3rd round and give him early playing opportunities signals they view him as more than a developmental stash. If Gabriel lands in the right offense and continues refining ball security and consistency, he could quietly develop into a starting-caliber NFL quarterback.

Regarding his personal life, there’s no confirmed public information about a girlfriend, and Gabriel has kept that aspect of his life private.

The early preseason outings showed promise but also revealed areas for improvement—turnovers, deeper throws under duress, and adapting to NFL defensive speed will be ongoing tests.