The film room was quiet, the war room even quieter. Somewhere deep in the halls of Berea, Kevin Stefanski stared at a prospect’s tape one more time, fully knowing it didn’t matter. The name wouldn’t be called. The quarterback he wanted—hometown kid, projectable frame, clean upside—wasn’t coming out. And with that, Cleveland’s draft strategy shifted from plan to prayer.

Cleveland is experiencing yet another quarterback carousel. Joe Flacco is 40. Kenny Pickett is trying to reboot his career after riding the bench in Philadelphia. Deshaun Watson is likely out for 2025, or at least a major portion of it, because of injury setbacks. And now, two rookies—Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders—have entered the quarterback room. At this point, the Browns’ depth chart feels more like a casting call than a game plan. But according to rumors, none of this would have happened had Stefanski gotten his wish.

Before the chaos of draft weekend unfolded, reports suggest Stefanski had his sights set on someone else—Drew Allar, the Penn State standout who didn’t declare for the draft. Despite not entering, his name was reportedly discussed at the very top of Cleveland’s draft board. NFL Rumors (@nflrums) claimed, “🚨🚨 NFL RUMORS: The #Browns likely would’ve drafted PSU QB Drew Allar at #2 if he declared this year.” 

Yes, even with a top-2 pick. The Browns were allegedly ready to make Allar the new face of the franchise if he had gone pro. Why? Because Allar checks every box: local kid, NFL arm, raw mechanics, high ceiling. He’s the kind of quarterback teams rebuild around—especially ones in QB purgatory. Dane Brugler of The Athletic even suggested Allar would’ve been a headliner if he’d declared.

“Had Allar declared… he might have been the No. 2 pick (to his hometown Cleveland Browns),” Brugler noted. it made perfect sense to pursue a young, manageable, high-upside quarterback to eventually take over, given the chaos surrounding Watson’s contract and health. It would have given the Browns a fresh start—or at least a stable Plan B.

Rumors within the building suggest Kevin Stefanski was one of Allar’s biggest champions. Some believed he saw Allar as a long-term project worth grooming behind Watson—or perhaps leapfrogging him entirely. It could’ve been Stefanski’s reset button, his shot at developing a young quarterback from scratch. But when Allar opted to stay at Penn State, Cleveland had to scramble. From a clean slate to quarterback chaos.

The Browns’ Shedeur vs. Dillon dilemma

Cleveland didn’t walk away empty-handed, though. At No. 94 overall, they drafted Dillon Gabriel, the seasoned Oklahoma gunslinger with six years of collegiate experience. He brings poise, leadership, and a smooth deep ball—an ideal fill-in-the-gap player. Solid pick. Then came the surprise.

After trading up from picks 166 and 192, the Browns selected Shedeur Sanders at No. 144. Sanders, who threw for 14,000+ yards in college—including 37 touchdowns on a 74.0% completion rate during his final season at Colorado—was expected to go much higher. But a series of off-field media distractions and even a bizarre prank call episode tanked his draft momentum. The Browns saw value where others hesitated.

Fans initially speculated that the pick had the fingerprints of owner Jimmy Haslam, but GM Andrew Berry clarified that it was “a collaborative football decision” and that the front office had done their homework. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler later confirmed it was Berry who pushed to trade up for Sanders.

Now, the Browns’ quarterback room features a pair of rookies, an aging Flacco, a floundering Pickett, and an injured Watson. One of the rookies could be the long-term solution. Gabriel might be game-ready. Sanders could be the diamond-in-the-rough. But it’s Kevin Stefanski who may face the biggest decision of his coaching career. Especially since the guy he really wanted never even entered the draft.

And so, Cleveland’s quarterback saga continues—not so much a strategy, but a poker game, where the coach waited for a hand that never came, and may now have to bluff his way through the season.