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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel 5 talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250510_kab_bk4_019

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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel 5 talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250510_kab_bk4_019
After six years in college, stretching from Group of Five dominance to Big Ten accolades, Dillon Grabiel stepped into the NFL as a third-round pick with one glaring flaw scouts couldn’t ignore: his height. And the NFL’s track record with shorter quarterbacks is brutally clear.
As Forbes reported, only 4 of 69 first-round QBs across a 30-year stretch measured 6’1″ or shorter, and even those who broke through, like Russell Wilson or Drew Brees, had to overcome a litany of doubts. “There are certain throws you can’t make if you’re under 6 feet — it’s not a bias, it’s just geometry,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said during the 2024 NFL Combine. The concern isn’t just about throwing lanes, it’s about durability, pocket visibility, and how playbooks must be adjusted. Without that trust from coaches, shorter quarterbacks are often kept on a shorter leash, their ceilings presumed lower before they’ve taken a single NFL snap.
And yet, at 5-foot-11, Gabriel’s biggest challenge isn’t his height alone; it’s the quarterback room he’s walked into. Uncertainty looms over the Browns’ quarterback room, despite options ranging from veterans to rookies in the mix. In this context, Browns‘ third-round pick is a bit too short, too risky, too easy to doubt. That skepticism could be felt when former scout John Middlekauff didn’t hold back:
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But Gabriel’s performance tells a different tale. Gabriel spent six seasons in college and somehow managed to make it work. And that’s what Tom Moore of Dawgs By Nature recently pointed out. “The biggest check mark against Gabriel seems to be his height,” Moore noted. “I mean, he’s experienced; he played at a high level. Everybody around here thinks the Big Ten is like the greatest thing in the fricking world.
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“And he went out and he lit it up last year, and you know he’s Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He obviously must know something. Well, if Ohio State fans are to be believed in the Big Ten, it’s this super powerful conference that you have to monumental effort to succeed in. Then, he did it. He checked that box.” Dillon Gabriel is short, no argument there. But the key point to note is that the rookie quarterback literally defied the odds during his collegiate career.
He piled up nearly 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns, and an eye-popping 72.9 completion rate in his final season. But it isn’t just stats doing the talking. Analysts have zeroed in on his sharp decision-making and the contrast in his performance when the pocket was clear versus when the pressure came crashing in. NFL analyst Max Loeb observed that Gabriel’s height won’t be an issue, pointing out his decision-making skills.
“The more I watched Dillon Gabriel, the more I see the vision and lack of questions for his height,” he said. “When you’re watching Dillon Gabriel, just the player [and] not looking at his height, you can see the decision-making is excellent, he’s got a great deep ball, he can throw on the run, but, ultimately, taking care of the football, winning the right way, is what Kevin Stefanski wants in a quarterback.” That’s something worth noting, especially when standing in the pocket under pressure.

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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Cleveland Browns Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Berea, OH, USA Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel 5 throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Berea CrossCountry Mortgage Campus OH USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKenxBlazex 20250510_kab_bk4_045
While some might argue about his pocket awareness, given that he was sacked 3 times against Idaho and 4 times against Boise State last season. But if you zoom in, his contextual performance under pressure speaks volumes. Take his 2023 season, for instance. When in clean pocket, Gabriel had a 72.0% completion rate for 2,864 yards, and 27 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
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Can Dillon Gabriel defy NFL norms and prove height doesn't matter for a successful QB career?
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But when it comes to being under pressure? Well, it surely drops down to 56.5% for just 791 yards and 3 TDs. But it’s respectable—many QBs drop into the 40s in a few instances, like Sam Darnold back in 2021 (Clean-pocket Passing Grade: 70.2, versus Pressured-pocket Passing Grade: 31.3). Taken all together, Dillon Gabriel isn’t you typical 6’2” height quarterback, but he indeed knows something to make things work with a 5’1” height.
“Gabriel has never been tall,” Moore added. “It’s not like he woke up the day after the draft and he lost five inches of height. He’s figured out how to do it.” Moore explained that figuring out the same thing in the NFL would be 100% different. But then again, we’ve seen this script before. Gabriel’s success in the league is too early to predict, sure. But we’ll see how he adapts. Meanwhile, the Browns’ QB1 spot is still in limbo with no legitimate starter confirmed.
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Kevin Stefanski to trade a rookie quarterback?
For months, Joe Flacco seemed the ultimate QB1. Makes sense. He’s a former Brown, a Super Bowl champion, and still wants to perform at the age of 40. But as the wheel of time turned, the rookies—Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel entered the chat, with Kenny Pickett grinding to snag the job.
But still, Kevin Stefanski and Co. never confirmed who’s going to be the QB1. But let’s be real—it’s rare for an NFL team to enter with four quarterbacks in a regular season, if not impossible. And just like that, trade rumors swirled. Last year, Atlanta made an eye-popping decision when they signed Kirk Cousins on a four-year, $180 million deal, only to make him the most expensive backup quarterback for the 2025 season.
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Cousins said the Falcons “misled” him. Atlanta said they are happy with Michael Penix Jr., and the quarterback found himself amidst trade talks. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski added another layer to it, claiming that the Browns could bring Cousins in to reunite him with Coach Stefanski. Questions emerged: Who’s the bait? The NFL rumors suggested Shedeur Sanders. “Trading Sanders as a rookie would be unorthodox.” Granted. Sanders is young, talented, and definitely carries value if he is traded.
“If they were saying Shedeur was the starter as a fifth-rounder, you got a real problem,” Chris Carter chimed in. The thing is: ever since he arrived in Cleveland, Sanders has been less of a franchise quarterback and more of a developmental prospect. That said, it seems like Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett might have an edge over Sanders. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Shedeur, and yes, it’s still a rumor. But we’ll see how this QB battle will turn out.
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"Can Dillon Gabriel defy NFL norms and prove height doesn't matter for a successful QB career?"