Dillon Gabriel: A Collegiate Football Career Overview

Dillon Gabriel, born on December 28, 2000, is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). His journey to the NFL was paved through an impressive college football career spanning from 2019 to 2024, during which he played for the UCF Knights, Oklahoma Sooners, and Oregon Ducks.

Early Life and Background

Dillon Gabriel was born in Mililani, Hawaii, into a family deeply rooted in athletics. His mother, Dori Gabriel, was a college softball player for the Loyola Marymount Lions. His father, Garrett Gabriel, played college football as a quarterback for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors from 1987 to 1990. Growing up, Gabriel participated in various sports, including baseball and football. He transitioned to the quarterback position between the ages of 10 and 12, finding football more appealing due to its fast-paced nature. Gabriel attended private schools, including Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, for his seventh and eighth-grade years.

High School Career

Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Gabriel initially committed to play college football for the Army Black Knights. However, after receiving offers from Georgia, UCF, and USC, he decommitted and chose the University of Central Florida (UCF), drawn by the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position and earn immediate playing time.

College Career

UCF Knights (2019-2021)

Gabriel began his collegiate football career with the UCF Knights in 2019 as a true freshman. During preseason camp, he competed for the starting quarterback position against Notre Dame redshirt senior transfer Brandon Wimbush and UCF redshirt freshman Quadry Jones. The competition was held to find a replacement for McKenzie Milton, who was sidelined by a severe leg injury sustained late in the 2018 season. Milton's previous backup, Darriel Mack Jr., was also unavailable due to a broken ankle suffered before the start of the season.

He made his collegiate debut on August 29, 2019, in UCF's season opener against Florida A&M, entering the game late in the first quarter as a substitute for starting quarterback Wimbush. He completed 9 of 13 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns, helping UCF secure a 62-0 victory. Following this performance, Gabriel was named the starting quarterback and started the remaining 12 games of the season. He made his first career start on September 7 against Florida Atlantic, completing 7 of 19 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-14 victory. The season concluded with a 48-25 victory over Marshall in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl, where Gabriel was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) after completing 14 of 24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Throughout the season, Gabriel led UCF to a 10-3 overall record.

During his sophomore season, Gabriel led UCF to a 6-4 record. During his junior season, Gabriel led UCF to a 2-0 record before sustaining an injury in the third game of the regular season against Louisville on September 17, 2021. With five seconds remaining in the final play and UCF trailing 42-35, the team attempted a multi-lateral touchdown but was penalized for an illegal forward pass, securing the victory for Louisville. Gabriel was injured on the play after landing on his left shoulder, his throwing arm, and was carried off the field. He was later seen with his left arm in a sling, and X-rays revealed a broken left clavicle.

Oklahoma Sooners (2022-2023)

After three seasons with UCF, Gabriel entered the transfer portal and committed to the Oklahoma Sooners. He quickly earned the starting role and continued a rich history of productive playmakers under center. In his first season with the Sooners, Gabriel threw for over 3,000 yards and had a career year on the ground. In his second season, he established himself as one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country. Gabriel entered the Sooners’ record book by scoring eight touchdowns against the West Virginia Mountaineers, a performance that earned him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Oregon Ducks (2024)

At the end of the 2023 season, Gabriel opted to enter the transfer portal once again, taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He committed to the Oregon Ducks, replacing Bo Nix in an offense that had been one of the most electric in the country. Gabriel made his debut for Oregon in the season opener against Idaho on August 31, 2024. Oregon won the game 24-14, with Gabriel throwing for 380 yards and two touchdowns. With this performance, he became the eighth quarterback in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to surpass 15,000 career passing yards.

Gabriel threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon's 38-9 victory over Illinois on October 26. With this performance, he surpassed Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang to move into second place on the FBS career passing yards list and also passed Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore to claim second place on the FBS career passing touchdowns list. Gabriel played his final college football game in the 2025 Rose Bowl, a College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal, on January 1, 2025. Despite entering the playoffs with Oregon holding an undefeated 13-0 record and finishing first in the Big Ten Conference, the team ended its season with a 41-21 loss to Ohio State. At the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, Gabriel was nominated for the Heisman Trophy in recognition of his impressive statistics and leadership. Posting a career-high 3,857 passing yards, Gabriel earned All-America honors from multiple outlets, was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, and the Heisman Trophy. Gabriel also tied the FBS record for passing touchdowns with 155 and sits second for career passing yards (18,722) and total yards (19,931).

NFL Career

Gabriel was selected 94th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. The Browns acquired this pick through a trade that involved sending wide receiver Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick, originally belonging to the Detroit Lions, to the Buffalo Bills. On August 26, 2025, the Browns announced that Gabriel would serve as the backup quarterback to Joe Flacco. Gabriel made his National Football League (NFL) debut on September 14, during Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. He entered the game late in the fourth quarter, replacing Flacco while the Browns were trailing 41-10. Gabriel completed all three of his pass attempts for a total of 19 yards. He recorded his first career touchdown on an eight-yard pass to Dylan Sampson with 1:50 remaining in the game. On October 1, 2025, Gabriel was announced as the starting quarterback for the Browns ahead of Week 5, replacing Joe Flacco. He made his first career start on October 5, in a game against the Minnesota Vikings held in London, England. This made him the first quarterback to have his initial NFL start outside the United States. The Browns lost the game 21-17. Gabriel completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked twice for a loss of eight yards and did not throw any interceptions. On November 16, 2025, Gabriel sustained a concussion during the Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens. He experienced concussion symptoms during halftime and sought evaluation from the trainers. In accordance with the NFL concussion protocol, Gabriel was assessed and ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Read also: Collegiate Career: Corey Dillon

Statistics and Achievements

Dillon Gabriel's college career is marked by impressive statistics and numerous achievements. He tied the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) record for passing touchdowns with 155, matching the mark previously set by Case Keenum. He also ranks high in career passing yards and total yards. Throughout his college career, Gabriel consistently demonstrated his talent and leadership, earning accolades such as first-team All-American honors and the Big Ten Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Personal Life

Gabriel is the middle of three brothers, all athletes named after former NFL players. He was named after running back Corey Dillon.

Read also: Analyzing Dillon Gabriel's Impact

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