Quarterback Dillion Gabriel A Late Riser In NFL Draft? Updated Draft Projection

“With Dillon Gabriel, I think he can (play). One thing I learned from last year’s class is that experience and playing helps and matters when transitioning to the NFL. And he’s played more football than anyone else in NFL history. 63 career starts – that’s more than even Bo Nix had as a record last year. And then, dating back to high school, he started as a true freshman. He had the Hawaii passing record over guys like Marcus Mariota and Tua. He has been playing quarterback his entire life,” said CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner. 

“He’s seen it all, has an NFL-caliber arm, it’s stronger than Shedeur Sanders’ arm, you can watch them throw for throw, it’s stronger than Shedeurs, obviously not of the caliber of Cam Ward, but it’s an NFL caliber arm. And he’s three different stops now between UCF, Oklahoma, Oregon; he’s played good football, he has the personality to win over a locker room early on,” 

Gabriel has long been thought to be a great fit for the West Coast spread style of offense that has long permeated the NFL offensive structure. From San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay to Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, the wide-ranging implementations have all been successful, but the engines have almost all been quarterbacks with a similar skillset to Gabriel. 

“I just think if that guy was thrust into a starting role a la Brock Purdy, I think he’d be able to handle it. I don’t think he’ll ever be a 10-15 quarterback in the NFL. I’d be very surprised if he was, but I just think that’s a guy who is capable of playing at the NFL level and not looking like a fish out of water. And to me, that’s worthy of a Day 2 pick, which is kind of where I have him in this class,” Renner said in closing. 

It remains to be seen if Gabriel will indeed be the third quarterback off the board, or even a Day 2 pick, but there are believers in Gabriel’s ability to be a solid starting quarterback in the National Football League. Gabriel has been productive everywhere he’s been and an integral fixture in the program.