- No shortage of experience: Gabriel logged more than 2,300 dropbacks in college, helping him develop into a quick decision-maker and processor.
- Gabriel’s size is a concern: His height, weight, hand length, arm length and wingspan all place at the 35th percentile or lower among quarterbacks.
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Draft Position Rankings
2024 PFF Grades and Stats (Rank out of 56 Draft-Eligible QBs)
| PFF Overall Grade | 86.6 (9th) |
| Big-Time Throw % | 3.2% (38th) |
| Turnover-Worthy Play % | 1.6% (4th) |
| Adjusted Completion % | 81.9% (2nd) |
| Pressure-to Sack % | 13.9% (14th) |
| PFF Clean Pocket Grade | 90.9 (9th) |
| PFF Under Pressure Grade | 60.7 (12th) |
Background
Dillon Gabriel is a 24-year-old, 5-foot-11 and 201-pound quarterback out of Oregon. His college career began at UCF, where he started 12 games as a freshman and was the team’s full-time starter for the next two years before a season-ending injury cost him his junior campaign. Gabriel then transferred to Oklahoma, where he was the starter for two years. He wrapped up his career at Oregon, helping lead the Ducks to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Strengths
Experienced distributor
Gabriel’s first college snap came in 2019, and he has since logged more than 2,300 dropbacks. That simply means he has seen it all, which is evident in his excellent ball distribution. He’s great in the RPO and quick-passing games, showing off quick decision-making. That experience is also clear on the mental side. He does a great job of understanding defenses and reading defenders’ leverage to get the ball out on time.
Elusiveness in the pocket
Gabriel can be very tough to bring down in the backfield. He is slippery in the pocket and tends to make defenders miss, leading to a top-15 pressure-to-sack rate this past season. Not only can he be effective at avoiding those negative plays, but he’s also a strong passer when scrambling.
Gabriel earned a 67.4 PFF passing grade when forced to move out of the pocket in 2024, ranking second in the draft class. He can quickly turn a potential negative play into a positive downfield shot — a successful formula for someone of his size.
Weaknesses
Size
Gabriel’s measurables — height, weight, wingspan, hand size, etc. — are all in the 35th percentile or lower among quarterbacks. That’s quite a barrier to developing into a successful NFL signal-caller. He’ll be at a significant disadvantage, and some teams may even be scared off from drafting him. The good news for Gabriel is that players like Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Bryce Young have proven that there is a path to success in the NFL despite being under 6 feet tall.
Turns down open downfield passing options
Gabriel’s average downfield pass in 2024 traveled 7.0 yards, the seventh-lowest mark in the FBS. That’s the nature of Oregon’s offense. In the season prior, Bo Nix — now with the Denver Broncos — had an average depth of target of 6.8 yards.
The difference between Nix and Gabriel is that Nix took advantage of downfield options. Gabriel’s big-time-throw rate was 3.2%, while Nix’s was 4.0%. It’s not the largest gap, but it’s significant when there were plenty of times Gabriel could’ve taken deep shots. And Gabriel was successful when he was throwing downfield, too; he simply turned down far too many opportunities, either because he hit his check-down too early or didn’t see them. On passing attempts of 20 yards or more, Gabriel earned an elite 94.7 PFF passing grade in 2024 — the fifth-best figure in college football.
Summary
Dillon Gabriel is an intriguing prospect with extensive college experience, dating back to 2019. He has demonstrated excellent distribution skills in RPO and quick-passing situations while showing he can process information at a high level. However, his NFL potential is hampered by his size limitations. That size also led to Gabriel’s conservative approach, as he frequently missed opportunities for big plays in 2024. For Gabriel to have a successful NFL career, he’ll need to be in an offense that highlights his quick decision-making.
Draft Grade: Fourth or fifth round
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