Insider addresses narratives about Browns drafting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders

Individuals such as Zac Jackson of The Athletic have repeatedly mentioned that many predicted that Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel would be a third-day selection before the Cleveland Browns selected him with the 94th pick.

According to Browns reporter Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the AFC North side wasn't the only club willing to draft Gabriel over Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. 

"My source said he knows of at least one other team that had a third-round grade on Gabriel," Pluto revealed in an article published on Sunday. "Another team had a fourth-round grade."

That same source told Pluto that "he didn’t know of any team that had [Sanders] rated in the first three rounds." Since late April, numerous stories have touched upon how Sanders' alleged handling of the predraft process played a part in why he fell to the draft's fifth round before the Browns traded up to select him with choice No. 144.

"The Browns believe Sanders 'is a good kid and is coachable,'" Pluto continued. "They had a fourth-round grade on him and...asked themselves, 'Since we know QB is the most important position and we have a chance to make a value pick…why not do it?' They traded up into the fifth round to take Sanders, a round lower than they had him evaluated. Without a long-term QB answer on the roster, it was 'logical' for them to take two rookies. That’s how it was explained to me."

Earlier in the offseason, the Browns acquired Philadelphia Eagles backup and 2022 first-round selection Kenny Pickett. Cleveland later signed veteran Joe Flacco, who helped the 2023 Browns earn a postseason berth while playing under head coach Kevin Stefanski. It's widely believed either Pickett or Flacco will be Cleveland's QB1 in September and that the Browns will ultimately move on from one of those signal-callers so they can have both rookies on the active roster by Week 1.

"The Browns don’t think the media hype will impact the team," Pluto added about Cleveland having a big-name player such as Sanders opening training camp as the club's third- or fourth option. "Sanders is a fifth-round pick, not a first-rounder. The Browns believe he’ll work hard and do what is expected. If not, they can easily cut him."

Many assume Deshaun Watson will never again play a meaningful snap for the Browns after he suffered a torn Achilles in October 2024 and then tore the Achilles again while rehabbing. Cleveland could address the quarterback position via next year's draft after the club picked up an extra 2026 first-round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars on April 24, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry is currently hoping that Pickett, Gabriel or Sanders will look like a potential long-term starter by the time Week 18 of the upcoming season wraps up.