Dillon Gabriel has been heavily compared to Shedeur Sanders ever since the two QBs were picked by the Cleveland Browns. They share an unspoken rivalry centered on winning the starting QB job as rookies by the 2025 midseason. And after Gabriel’s preseason debut against the Philadelphia Eagles, critics have spared no expense in questioning his legitimacy in the competition.
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Gabriel didn’t have the best game if you just look at the box score. He went 13-for-18 passing but turned the ball over twice. Most notably, he threw a pick-six while in Eagles territory, an issue that traces back to his college days. He also fumbled on a handoff to his running back two drives later. And, yes, no touchdowns.
However, the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. There were stretches when Gabriel looked the part of an NFL QB. He managed the game effectively, moved the ball downfield, and converted crucial third downs to sustain drives. When former player Ryan Clark reviewed the tape, he emphasized that the performance wasn’t as bad as some might think.
“Just watched Dillon Gabriel’s debut. He was magnificent on third down. Accurate, efficient, timely,” Clark wrote on X, before adding,
“The Eagles didn’t get their first stop on 3rd until mid-2nd Q when Ojulari beat the left tackle for a sack. Has to throw the ball away on the pick, be better on the 1 exchange, but he played well.”
They’re all things that should be noted about Gabriel’s performance. After all, it’s just the preseason, and this was his first taste of NFL action. Sure, it didn’t look as good as Shedeur’s line in Week 1, but he still showed several traits coaches look for in a starting QB.
Just watched Dillon Gabriel’s debut. He was magnificent on third down. Accurate, efficient, timely… the Eagles didn’t get their first stop on 3rd until mid 2nd Q when Ojulari beat the left tackle for a sack. Has to throw the ball away on the pick, be better on the 1 exchange,…
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 18, 2025
Oftentimes, the preseason can be deceiving for fans. Storylines get propped up because there’s simply not a lot going on. It’s almost better not to watch highly touted rookies and veterans get their brief work in. They’re usually focused on specific things in a game atmosphere and not too concerned with their stats.
Preseason football is for the diehard fans who want to see if a second-year player who struggled as a rookie will make the team, or if a career journeyman with a real opportunity will finally win a starting job. One can quickly be misled if they judge players like Gabriel and Shedeur by preseason stat lines, since they have more room to develop.
All in all, while it’s easy to bag on Gabriel now, it shouldn’t mean much in the bigger picture of the QB competition. Like Clark said, he still showed things that surely caught the attention of his head coach, Kevin Stefanski. Converting 3rd downs to keep drives alive is a skill that isn’t taken for granted in the NFL.
