Gabriel on Browns Drafting Shedeur: ‘I Love It!’

The Cleveland Browns added quarterback depth in rather surprising fashion by picking Dillon Gabriel from Oregon with the No. 94 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

His selection put an end to thoughts of Cleveland finding another quarterback elsewhere in the Draft, more specifically Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, who had seen a dramatic fall from from a top-3 overall talent to Day 3 availability.

Then, late in the fifth round, the Browns put an end to Sanders' shocking slide. The double-dip at the QB position adds to the Browns' interesting position battle with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett already aiming to earn the starting spot.

Gabriel and Sanders took the practice field this week as part of rookie minicamp before the four quarterbacks will compete at training camp later this summer.

Last year's Week 1 starter Deshaun Watson is down with another achilles injury, so Cleveland will have to turn to another signal-caller, and there is strong belief it could be either of the rookies.

Gabriel, who was picked 50 spots ahead of Sanders, shared his noteworthy reaction to the Browns drafting the highly-scrutinized son of NFL icon Deion Sanders.

"“Yeah, I love it,” Gabriel told reporters on Saturday, via quotes distributed by the team. “You know, I love it because of who it is. I think just for us both, you can learn from one another."

Other than just his rookie counterpart Shedeur, Gabriel is excited to join the veterans in Cleveland's crowded QB room.

"But also, it’s not just us two in the room. At least for right now [during rookie minicamp] it is, but, you know, going into the year, Kenny [Pickett], Joe [Flacco] and even Deshaun [Watson], just a bunch of guys who played a bunch of ball that we can all learn from one another.”

Gabriel was a college football journeyman, spending time at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon and making 63 career starts under center. He is comfortable making adjustments and earning his spot on the team.

"It’s not new to me,” Gabriel said. “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, you know, 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.”

He is taking that experience and wisdom into the NFL by staying consistent with what has gotten him to this point in his football journey.

"I only know one way to prepare,” Gabriel said. “I only know one way to work, and that is as the starter. You know, I’ve played a bunch of ball and have a lot of experience, so I’m going to use that to my advantage. . . . I’ve got to continue to dominate the moment and have great practices.”

Gabriel will have to perform well throughout camp in order to earn the coveted Week 1 spot in the starting lineup. From everything he's said since joining the Cleveland Browns, it sounds like he is up for the challenge - whoever he is competing against.