College defensive coordinator criticizes Browns for curious NFL Draft decision

The Cleveland Browns selecting both Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Colorado signal-caller Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft continued to generate discussions among members of the football community through the first week of May. 

For a piece produced by ESPN's Adam Rittenberg that was published on Tuesday, one unnamed Power 4 defensive coordinator criticized the Browns for overdrafting Gabriel at pick No. 94 considering developmental prospect Will Howard out of Ohio State fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers at selection No. 185. 

"I don't see the evaluation of Gabriel over Howard," that defensive coordinator told Rittenberg. "I'm not saying either one of them is more talented than Sanders, but Will Howard's a better pro prospect than Gabriel with the size, arm strength, the passing tree that he had to throw at Ohio State."

Some college coaches who didn't experience how Sanders and his camp handled the predraft process viewed the polarizing prospect as the second-best quarterback in his class behind only Miami's Cam Ward, who went to the Tennessee Titans via the draft's first overall pick. After the Browns traded up to select Sanders with pick No. 144, team reporter Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand revealed that Cleveland had Gabriel ranked fourth on its draft board among quarterbacks behind Ward, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Louisville's Tyler Shough. 

The New York Giants traded back into the first round to grab Dart at choice No. 25. Later in the draft, the New Orleans Saints selected Shough at pick No. 40. 

On Monday, Lance Reisland of the Cleveland Plain Dealer mentioned that Gabriel's 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame was "a concern for many NFL teams." To compare, Howard measured in at 6-foot-4 and 236 pounds at the scouting combine earlier this offseason. 

According to Rittenberg, Gabriel was "not projected as one of the top draftable QBs" as of the morning of April 25. 

It remains unclear why Browns general manager Andrew Berry and/or head coach Kevin Stefanski felt they had to get Gabriel in the third round. After all, no quarterback was drafted after Gabriel until Cleveland took a flier on Sanders. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook had Sanders as a +370 betting underdog behind Joe Flacco (+116) and Kenny Pickett (+220) regarding who will emerge this summer as Cleveland's Week 1 starter. At that same time, FanDuel had Gabriel at +830 odds to win the gig.