Browns Rookie Dillon Gabriel 'Not an NFL QB', Per Reporter

The Cleveland Browns will trot out Shedeur Sanders to start their first preseason game under center Friday against the Carolina Panthers, but we may also see his rookie counterpart Dillon Gabriel.

The two rookies are competing in the Browns' four-man quarterback competition alongside Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and one player is likely to see an end to their time in Cleveland by the time we get to the regular season.

According to the Browns' first depth chart, that player was trending to be Sanders, as he was listed behind Gabriel in fourth. He'll get the first crack at changing his positioning this weekend.

While Gabriel isn't too much closer to becoming the starting quarterback, he's shown some promise throughout training camp. However, that has apparently not made a solid impression on Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter, who did not mince his words when talking about the Oregon alum.

"He's not good," Ruiter said about Gabriel. "He's not an NFL quarterback. Not right now, and the fact that they keep running him out there for first-team reps ... they're cramming this guy down our throats, and it's not good."

Gabriel was a third-round pick despite many scouts projecting him more as a Day 3 selection (Rounds 4-7), largely due to his measurements. The lefty stands at 5-11, a relatively undesirable size for the position, but others have made it work in the past. Ruiter claims that his concern is greater than just that.

"It's not a height thing," Ruiter continued. "It's not personal. He's rolling out and can't hit guys who are wide open. He's not all that great, at times, in the warmup periods. ... He's just not a good quarterback."

The radio broadcaster continued to rip into Gabriel, saying he does not deserve any consideration to start a game this year for the Browns.

"It's god awful when he's on the field," Ruiter stated.

With Deshaun Watson on the IR for the foreseeable future, Cleveland could stash all four QBs on the roster early in the year to guide their development, but ultimately the two rookies are each signed to their four-year contracts and aren't expected to be moved, per ESPN.

We'll see what Gabriel brings on Friday in response to this criticism.