The 2023 college football season will be written by returning quarterbacks. It’s a deep group of passers that features 2022’s Heisman trophy winner and a number of players that had breakout seasons a year ago.
Pro Football Focus released a list of their highest-graded returning quarterbacks for the 2023 season, and Dillon Gabriel was among a who’s who of players.
Despite missing a half against TCU and the Red River showdown, Gabriel was very good for his first year at the Power Five level. It helps that Gabriel worked with Lebby at UCF when he was a true freshman. It made for a seamless transition.
In Dillon Gabriel’s true freshman season in 2019, he and Lebby helped the UCF offense rank No. 5 in total offense. Gabriel had 3,653 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns that year. Against a higher level of competition, Gabriel put up similar numbers in his first season with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Here’s a look a the top 10 returning quarterbacks according to Pro Football Focus.