Dillon Gabriel wasn’t supposed to be the storyline. Not after six years of college ball, not after a nomadic NCAA ride that took him from Orlando’s bounce house at UCF to Norman and finally Eugene, Oregon. But when the Cleveland Browns used their third-round pick (No. 94 overall) to snatch up the lefty veteran with the deep-ball touch, eyebrows rose. That surprise turned seismic just days later when the Browns traded up again. This time to grab Shedeur Sanders in the 5 round. Two quarterbacks, two rookies—both coming from high-profile programs— landing in the same QB room? That’s not a camp battle. It’s a chemistry experiment. While fans were left buzzing, Gabriel took a deep breath, enjoying the calm before his NFL storm with the one person who’s been by his side through it all.

Zo Caswell wasn’t in the war room or on the podium, but she may have delivered the most memorable moment of the Browns’ draft weekend. Gabriel’s fiancée stole the internet’s heart with an Instagram post that showed the unfiltered joy of a dream realized. It wasn’t just the pictures—though they were loaded with beaming smiles, celebratory hugs, and Dillon Gabriel dancing and hugging like a man who knew the odds and beat them. It was the caption that got Cleveland talking. “Cleveland!! We’re ready!!!!” she wrote—three words and three exclamation points that turned into a rallying cry. Browns fans flooded the comments with heart emojis and dog-pound howls, embracing the couple as their own before Gabriel even laced up a cleat.

Those three words came just after Gabriel’s draft moment. Now, we have an update, a one-word message highlighting the support system behind the former Oregon QB1. Dillon Gabriel’s move to the pros was celebrated by friends and family. One such celebration was captured by one of the family members who has an Instagram account with the username @elleuyeda. The Insta user posted a series of photos on her feed. In one snap, Gabriel and his partner are standing with friends—a visible glee on their faces. Another photo has Dillon with two kids who donned his No. 1 jerseys from his college days. Zo Caswell shared the post on her Instagram story, and you know how we know they featured loved ones? It’s her caption in the story. Just one word. “Fam.”

But while Zo’s posts added a splash of personality to the pick, the reality of Gabriel’s football fit in Cleveland remains a hot topic. Standing at 5-foot-11, he’s already facing the kind of doubt that haunted another undersized Browns QB, Baker Mayfield. Analyst Ashley Bastock didn’t hold back her concerns.

“The height for me, and the biggest reason why I continue to question that part right now… I just, the last few days, have not been able to stop thinking about when the Browns had Baker Mayfield on this team, who is of course listed at like, what, 6-foot-1? I mean, he’s taller than Dillon Gabriel. And that last year here with Baker, it was just brutal. They could not work around those height limitations.” It’s a fair point. Dillon Gabriel may throw a prettier deep ball than Baker, but NFL passing lanes don’t get taller—and defensive ends don’t shrink.

Still, what Gabriel lacks in size, he makes up for in processing speed and grit. A lefty with over 14,000 career passing yards across three programs, he’s battle-tested and unshaken. His college tape shows a QB who isn’t afraid to let it rip, one who’s developed into a mature field general with quick decision-making and pre-snap poise. Mary Kay Cabot drew a striking comparison, saying Gabriel is like “Brock Purdy with a little bit of a stronger arm.” That’s not just a compliment—that’s a blueprint. If Gabriel can channel Purdy’s efficiency with a dash of arm talent, the Browns might’ve landed a low-risk, high-reward gem.

Then there’s Shedeur. The Browns’ decision to draft Deion Sanders’ son just two rounds after taking Gabriel was bold—maybe even chaotic—but it was calculated. Sanders brings the measurables Gabriel doesn’t: prototypical size, a stronger arm, and that effortless athleticism scouts salivate over. What he doesn’t bring is experience. Gabriel’s logged more games than Shedeur has months in the NFL system. Depth breeds development. Iron sharpens iron.

They didn’t just pick a quarterback—they picked two narratives, two leaders, two identities. One is a 5-foot-11 slinger with a chip on his shoulder and a fiancée who’s ready to plant flags in Dawg Pound territory.

Dillon Gabriel Was secretly courted by Browns

By the time the dust settled on draft weekend, the Browns had five QBs in the room—and perhaps none more surprising than Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who slipped all the way to pick No. 144 in the fifth round.

That draft-day twist? It wasn’t exactly part of the Browns’ original script. CBS Sports’ Shanna McCarriston shared that GM Andrew Berry described the selection as a smart pivot. “He was a good, solid prospect at the most important position,” Berry said. “We felt like it got to a point where he was probably mispriced relative to the draft. The acquisition cost was pretty light, and it’s a guy that we think can outproduce his draft slot. So I wouldn’t say it’s any more than that. … I may hesitate to characterize it as a blockbuster — that’s not necessarily how we thought of the transaction — but we are excited to work with him.”

While Sanders watched his stock drop and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel go at No. 94 in the third round, reports from ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi revealed the Browns had secretly courted Gabriel pre-draft. But when the board shifted, Cleveland saw their shot—and grabbed a potentially “mispriced” gem.