Tag: dillon Gabriel

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Central Florida/Okalahoma/Oregon’s Dillon brings six years of experience to the NFl

There are veteran college quarterbacks, and then there is Dillon Gabriel with six seasons as a starter.

Gabriel was raised in Hawaii and his father was a quarterback for the University of Hawaii. He was the Gatorade High School Player for the state in 2018 and broke Tua Tagovailoa’s state high school record for career passing yards. He committed to the University of Central Florida and became their starter midway through the Knights first game and remained so for three years. His third year ended after just three games due to a broken clavicle that did not need surgery, just rest.

Rather than return for a fourth year, he entered the transfer portal and initially chose UCLA but a few weeks later changed his mind and headed to Oklahoma where he played for two more seasons. For 2024, he again entered the transfer portal and landed in Oregon for his final year.

Gabriel holds the NCAA record with 156 career touchdown passes and is second with 18,722 yards passing yards. For comparison, Joe Burrow has thrown for 19,001 yards in the NFL. Jalen Hurts totals 14,667 pass yards. Gabriel benefitted from the additional seasons thanks to the COVID change in rules for players affected.

Height: 5-11
Weight: 205 pounds
40 time: 4.94 seconds (unofficial)

Gabriel will turn 25 by the end of this season. Trevor Lawrence and Ja’Marr Chase are both 25 years old as well. Gabriel is an older and more experienced quarterback than most any others. He declined to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine like most quarterbacks, but it did not help his cause when he was 5-11 – three inches shorter than any other quarterback and tied for the smallest-sized hands. At 205 pounds, he was easily the lightest quarterback as well.

Gabriel was a Heisman finalist.

Dillon Gabriel stats (2019-24)


*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

 

 Pros

  • Very experienced for a rookie with elite college stats
  • Dual threat that is dangerous when he leaves the pocket
  • Smart quarterback versed in multiple schemes
  • Was successful at all three colleges
  • Natural leader
  • Highly accurate on short and intermediate routes
  • Exceptional awareness reading defenses and reacting to pressure situations

Cons

  • Lacks the arm strength for pinpoint deep throws
  • Lacks the size to see over line or break tackles
  • Durability concerns from smaller frame
  • Speed only average in the faster NFL
  • Small hands may be turnover issue, 23 fumbles in six years

Fantasy Outlook

Dillon Gabriel has been successful in all three stops and rolled up record-setting career stats in the NCAA. Then again, he started for six seasons when most college quarterbacks leave after two big years. He is projected to be a mid-Day 3 pick and most likely slotted for being a backup in the NFL unless he gets an injury-caused opportunity and shines.

There is a chance he is taken by a team that will eventually want to give him a chance to start, and he is intelligent and far more experienced that any other rookie. He just has to compensate for his lack of size. He is almost the exact same size as Russell Wilson, who is an outlier among otherwise six-foot tall quarterbacks. There are also a mountain of other short quarterbacks who did not pan out.

Some potential suitors are the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, and New England Patriots but those are for quarterback depth more than an immediate starter. Barring a draft pick in an ideal situation and even then, more likely later in the season, Gabriel doesn’t project enough fantasy potential for this year, but he’ll carry dynasty value.

First impressions of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks

First impressions of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks, including Jalen Milroe, Dillon Gabriel and Jaxson Dart

The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl practices are underway here in Mobile at the University of South Alabama. Tuesday was our first opportunity to watch the players in action.

It’s an interesting quarterback class this year. Here’s what I took away from watching them in the first practices.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

He’s the headliner here, the local hero. The leader of the Crimson Tide for the last two seasons didn’t have a great first day. Accuracy in 1-on-1 drills is always dicey on the first day, what with working with new receivers and not having timing established. Having said that, even simple swing passes and quick slants showed shaky ball placement. That’s something that needs to get better quickly for Milroe.

He is a little bigger in person than expected for a player who measured in at 6-foor-1 and 220 pounds. Milroe struggled in team drills with interior pressure, not appearing to see it or react quickly.

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Gabriel was pretty handily the most accurate passer on the National team. His touch and quick release were very consistent even in throwing to guys he just met this week. The lefty allegedly hit 74 MPH velocity but that had to have been a glitch in the measuring instruments, because Gabriel quite clearly has the weakest throwing arm here. His deeper throws really hang up, even on a nerly windless day. Of all the quarterbacks, Gabriel had the best sense of his own game on Tuesday.

Seth Henigan, Memphis

For my money, Henigan was the best all-around quarterback on the first day. He’s got a big arm and is a well-built 6-foot-3. and his delivery is a little prolonged compared to Milroe and some others here.

Henigan showed savvy and quicker-than-expected acceleration to get outside the pocket. He nicely stuck with a couple of downfield routes when he was pressured. We don’t have all the exit velocity numbers from the day just yet, but the ball really comes out sizzling from Henigan’s over-the-top delivery.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Leonard is fresh from the national championship game, and his sharpness of still having been playing actual football against defenses was evident. His footwork and mechanics are very clean, and he hit more anticipatory routes than most of his peers.

There were a couple of reps where Leonard appeared to try to put some extra mustard on the throw and it didn’t go as well, and that’s something that has shown on his tap at both Notre Dame and Duke.

Taylor Elgersma, Laurier

The big Canadian is making a big jump in level of competition and it showed on the first day. He’s got a three-quarters delivery that makes him appear to be more of an aimer than a thrower, though the arm strength is solid. Elgersma was stiff as an athlete and needs to work on shortening his stride when he scrambles.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Shough had a solid all-around day. He’s accurate, he’s aggressive with his throws and he understands how to protect his receivers over the middle. Crisp delivery and the velocity holds up down the field better nicely. He’s bigger in person (almost 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds) than he looked on game film.

His advanced age — Shough turns 26 in September — is obviously a drawback, but he looked the most NFL-ready of the quarterbacks on Day 1 of practice.

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart moves around the pocket very well and showed he can quickly reset his base and get rid of the ball quickly when needed. Much like Gabriel, Dart’s experience in a high-volume passing offense with lots of options showed. He was better in team drills than in throwing 1-on-1s, but that’s not atypical on the first day. His deep ball accuracy was the best of the American team.

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Dillon Gabriel to wear helmet featuring UCF, Oklahoma, Oregon at Senior Bowl

Dillon Gabriel is one of college football’s most well-traveled player and will honor his three college programs with a unique design.

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] is hoping to be drafted in April’s 2025 NFL Draft. He’s taking part in this week’s Senior Bowl festivities down in Mobile, Alabama along with former teammate [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] in an effort to show scouts what he’s got.

NFL teams won’t have to look far for college film on Gabriel, as he’s got more of it than just about anyone ever has. His helmet for the Senior Bowl reflects that.

Gabriel will be honoring Oklahoma, along with the UCF Knights and the Oregon Ducks, his three schools over six years in college football. He spent three seasons at UCF, starting as a true freshman in 2019. He held the job until he was injured in 2021, a year he ended up redshirting in.

Gabriel made the move to OU, along with former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby in 2022. He was the starting quarterback for the first two seasons of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era, starting 24 games in Norman.

He decided to transfer for his final year of eligibility for the 2024 season, ending up at Oregon. He led the Ducks to a Big Ten title, and the team went 13-1 this year.

Gabriel posted a hype video on social media, chronicling his college football journey, as he hopes to improve his draft standing with a good showing this week. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a similar situation play out, as Jalen Hurts had an Alabama-Oklahoma helmet in the lead-up to the Senior Bowl in 2020, though Gabriel’s helmet this year has a bit more to it that Hurts’ helmet did.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFRhQ0Fxtcd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel to represent Oregon, Oklahoma, UCF on helmet at Senior Bowl

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel will wear a helmet featuring logos from all three of his college teams at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

With the college football season now behind us, the pre-draft process is ramping up, and we’re seeing some of the best players in the nation head down to Mobile, Alabama to participate in the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The Oregon Ducks are sending the most players of anyone in the nation, with eight players participating in the week-long event, leading up to Saturday’s Senior Bowl showcase.

One of the group’s leading members is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was among the Heisman Trophy finalists in 2024. Gabriel will go to Mobile representing the Ducks, but with a special twist, the multi-team transfer is going an extra step to have all of his former teams included.

This will be showcased by Gabriel’s special VICIS ZERO2 QB helmet, which is the first-ever helmet engineered to provide position-specific protection for quarterbacks.

On Gabriel’s black helmet, one side will feature the silver Oregon wings, but the other side will have the Oklahoma Sooners logo on it. On the back of the helmet will be the UCF Golden Knights logo.

Photo Courtesy of AJ Salas, VICIS.
Photo Courtesy of AJ Salas, VICIS.
Photo Courtesy of AJ Salas, VICIS.
Photo Courtesy of AJ Salas, VICIS.
Photo Courtesy of AJ Salas, VICIS.

All three logos represent Gabriel’s stops along the way during his college journey. He started his career at UCF, where he spent three years with the Golden Knights from 2019-2021, throwing for 8,037 yards and 70 touchdowns. He spent the next two years of his career in Norman, Oklahoma, where he threw for 6,828 yards and 55 touchdowns.

The last step of Gabriel’s college journey came in the form of one season at Oregon, where he threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the Ducks to a Big Ten Championship and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

All schools were meaningful steps along the way for Gabriel, and they hold a special place in his heart, and on his helmet.

The Senior Bowl kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11:30 a.m. PST and will be aired on NFL Network.

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Saints offensive assistant set to be quarterbacks coach at the Senior Bowl

New Orleans Saints offensive assistant Jordan Traylor will get a chance to coach several NFL quarterback prospects at the Senior Bowl:

The New Orleans Saints will have another coach at the Senior Bowl, this time it is offensive assistant Jordan Traylor, who will be handling the quarterback coach position for the National Team. With this, he will gain the opportunity to with with Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Wilfrid Laurier quarterback Taylor Elgersma, and Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough.

One of the most intriguing parts about this is that Elgersma will be the second player ever from a USports school (the governing body of Canadian university sports) to attend the Senior Bowl, with the only other one being wide receiver Tyrone Williams back in 1992. Williams would go on to be drafted in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL draft, and would bounce around the CFL and NFL for about six seasons, ultimately being on rosters that won two Super Bowls (XXVII and XXVIII) also winning a Grey Cup with Doug Flutie at the helm in 1996.

With that said, this will be a great opportunity for Traylor to scout him among other quarterbacks in the game. Traylor has spent four seasons as a part of the Saints coaching staff, and six seasons with the team. He has been a defensive, offensive, and scouting assistant at different points throughout his tenure with the Saints, and has had the chance to work with Arkansas and Texas as well at the collegiate level.

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Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel pens heartfelt goodbye to Duck fans

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel pens heartfelt goodbye to Duck fans as he moves on to the NFL.

Dillon Gabriel was in Eugene playing for the Oregon Ducks for just a year, but it seems as if that one year in the Willamette Valley made quite an impact on him.

In a short message to Oregon Duck fans everyone, Gabriel wanted to express his gratitude on social media.

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve taken some time to reflect on what this year has meant to me, and I’m filled with gratitude and pride,” he said. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Oregon and Duck Nation for believing in me and your unwavering support through this special season.”

Gabriel led the Ducks through a perfect regular season and their first Big Ten championship in their first season in the conference. The season ended with Oregon’s only defeat, a 41-21 loss in the Rose Bowl to eventual national champion Ohio State.

In his one and only season as a Duck, Gabriel was a Heisman finalist where he completed 73 percent of his passes, threw for a career-high 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He also ran for seven other scores.

Gabriel was also a mentor to sophomore quarterbacks Dante Moore and Austin Novosad where Oregon should see the fruits of that labor in the coming years.

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5 Ducks named to ESPN’s Top 100 college football players of 2024 list

See which Oregon Ducks were named to ESPN’s list of the Top 100 college football players of the 2024-25 season.

The 2024-25 college football season came to a close on Monday with the Ohio State Buckeyes’ victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the National Championship Game. The Oregon Ducks season came to an end nearly three weeks earlier, after a heartbreaking loss to the same Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks’ success this year was all due to the fantastic roster assembled by Dan Lanning and his staff. Although Oregon may not have had the talent Ohio State did, this will go down as one of the best Oregon teams ever.

On Monday, ESPN named five Oregon Ducks to their list of the Top 100 college football players of the 2024-25 season. At No. 9 is Dillon Gabriel, and he’s followed by Derrick Harmon at 31, Tez Johnson at 33, Josh Conerly at 61, and Matayo Uiagalelei at 81.

All five of those players made massive impacts for Oregon this season, and the Ducks likely would not have gone undefeated if a single one of those players wasn’t on the team. Four of the five will certainly be drafted this April, and a year from now Uiagalelei — who has one year to play before he is eligible for the NFL Draft — will be talked about as a first-round pick.

On a list of the 100 best players in college football, it is surprising that the team that sat atop the AP Poll for eight weeks and finished No. 3 in the final AP Poll, only accounts for five percent of the players. Some notable omissions from Oregon are defensive end Jordan Burch and running back Jordan James — two players who were among the best at their position nationwide. Both will be drafted this spring as well.

It was a disappointing end to the year for Oregon, but 2024-25 was far from a disappointing season. The Ducks went undefeated in the regular season for the second time in their history, they put a Heisman finalist on stage in New York, and won the Big Ten title in their first year as members of the conference. Next year will be a challenge, as Oregon must replace so many of its top players, but the depth on their roster should give fans confidence.

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Oklahoma Sooners land just one player inside ESPN’s top 100 for 2024

Oklahoma Sooners with just one player included on ESPN’s top 100 for the 2024 season. Who was snubbed?

The Oklahoma Sooners enter 2025 without one of the key leaders during the Brent Venables era. Linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] is off to the NFL after leading the Sooners defense over the last three seasons. He finished his career with three seasons of at least 100 tackles as the face of the program and leader of OU’s defensive resurgence.

Oklahoma’s recruited well on the defensive side of the ball, but after a 6-7 season, that talent isn’t getting a lot of respect as Stutsman was the only Sooner included in ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season.

54. Danny Stutsman, LB

Stutsman was the leader of an Oklahoma defense that was much improved this past season, climbing from 79th in total defense (389.4 yards) in the FBS in 2023 to 19th (318.2). The senior from Windermere, Florida, ranked fourth in the SEC with 9.1 tackles per game and sixth with 110 stops overall. In three seasons, Stutsman had 376 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 8 sacks and 3 interceptions. In 2024, Stutsman had 16 stops in a 35-9 loss to South Carolina and a career-high 19 tackles in a 30-23 loss at Missouri. – Mark Schlabach, ESPN

Notable

38. John Mateer, QB (at Washington State)

Oklahoma Sooners are hoping the FBS leader in touchdowns will make a huge impact on Oklahoma’s offense. [autotag]John Mateer[/autotag] has the ability to win with his legs and his arm and brings a leadership and a confidence with him to Norman. His understanding of Ben Arbuckle’s offense should make for a smoother transition for the Sooners.

9. Dillon Gabriel, QB (at Oregon)

The most notable transfer departure last offseason was [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]. Gabriel found an opportunity to compete for a national title with the Ducks and had a great season, going to New York as a Heisman finalist. But that season came to an abrupt halt as the Ducks were steamrolled by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.

Offensive Ineptitude

When was the last time the Oklahoma Sooners failed to have one offensive player in the top 100 players in college football?

Snubbed

R Mason Thomas, DE

R Mason Thomas led the Oklahoma Sooners with nine sacks in 2024. He provided the explosive pass rush the Sooners have been searching for since Nik Bonitto left for the NFL. At the same time, on a team that went just 6-7 in 2024, it’s hard to argue there should be more inclusion. But if Thomas is able to recreate his 2024 season in 2025 and the Sooners have more team success, he’ll be included on this list this time next year.

Billy Bowman, S

Billy Bowman’s playmaking ability dropped off some in 2024. Teams certainly didn’t throw his was as much and as Oklahoma struggled offensively, didn’t have to take a lot of chances against the Sooners defense. Still, Bowman is a good player that will have a productive career at the NFL level.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Several Ducks named to ESPN’s All-America teams

Three Oregon Ducks were named to ESPN’s 2024 All-America teams.

The Oregon Ducks’ season ended in disappointment. A loss in the Rose Bowl — especially by 20 points — is always going to leave a lasting sting, but overall, this season was a massive success for Oregon. With an undefeated regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and a loaded roster, it was a ton of fun to watch the Ducks this season and fans should look back fondly on this year.

The Ducks sat atop the AP Poll with their No. 1 ranking for a long time this season, which is a testament to the talent on their roster. On Wednesday, ESPN published their 2024 All-America teams. Although no Ducks were awarded first-team honors, Dillon Gabriel, Josh Conerly, and Derrick Harmon were all named to the second team.

Ahead of Gabriel was Miami (and former Washington State) quarterback Cameron Ward. Gabriel had a fantastic season, but it’s hard to argue with Ward taking the top spot. With 500 more passing yards and seven more total TDs, Ward was spectacular, although his defensive competition in the ACC may not have been on par with Gabriel’s in the Big Ten.

Conerly was edged out of the top spot by LSU tackle Will Campbell, who is projected to be a Top 10 pick this April. Statistically, however, Conerly had a better season than Campbell. Per PFF, Campbell was responsible for two sacks compared to Conerly’s one, and Conerly (9) also allowed half as many pressures as Campbell (18).

Last to make the team was Ducks defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, whose first-team counterpart was Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen. Nolen was the top player in the portal a year ago, and he did not disappoint for Ole Miss this season. The two had very similar stats, and the first-team honors could have gone either way.

Gabriel, Conerly, and Harmon are all NFL-bound next year, but their contributions to this year’s team were invaluable. Conerly and Harmon are projected as first-round picks, and although Gabriel isn’t among the most coveted QB prospects, he could still be a valuable pick for a team in need of a QB.

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Oregon’s 3 Keys to Victory against Ohio State

The three most important keys for the Oregon Ducks against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl.

The Oregon Ducks are a day away from playing their most important football game in a decade. Ten years ago, the Ducks fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 national championship game. Now they have a chance to exact revenge in the Rose Bowl.

What college football is all about.

Oregon hosted Ohio State in Autzen Stadium earlier this season and won 32-31. Eleven weeks later, the Ducks (13-0) are still undefeated, and the Buckeyes are 11-2. Their second loss was courtesy of a so-so Michigan team, but Ohio State is fresh off demolishing the Tennessee Volunteers — one of the top teams in the country.

Wednesday’s game will be one to remember, however it shakes out. While most sportsbooks have the Buckeyes favored by about a field goal, I see this game as a tossup. If the Ducks are to win, they’ll likely succeed in the three areas I’ve listed below. My three keys to victory.

Keep the run game locked up

Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

If I had to boil down one reason the Oregon Ducks beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in October, it’s the defense’s effort to keep Quinshon Judkins and TreyVeon Henderson contained. Those are two of the best backs in college football, and the Ducks kept them from doing much of anything. Judkins was nonexistent with 23 yards. While Henderson had 87 yards, 53 came on one rush early in the game. It will not be easy to have the same success, but it will be an important point of focus for Oregon’s defense.

The ball, the ball, the ball

Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

We’ve seen Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi repeatedy emphasize the importance of the ball, and how taking it away can change a game. Oregon’s offense will need to be at it’s best in this game regardless — and part of that is not turning the ball over. But if the defense can put the ball back in Dillon Gabriel’s hands with a takeaway once or twice, the Ducks will be in real good shape.

Win third down

When these teams faced in October, the Ducks converted nearly half of their third-down attempts, and the Buckeyes converted a third. That may seem like a small difference, but in games like these — fights between two heavyweights — every first down matters, and third-down stops can matter even more. If Oregon can create a similar gap in third-down efficiency, they’ll be in good shape to win.

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