May 10, 2025 06:38 AM IST
Shedeur Sanders vs Dillon Gabriel was the main highlight of Day 1 of the Cleveland Browns’ rookie mini-camp on Friday
Shedeur Sanders vs Dillon Gabriel was the main highlight of Day 1 of the Cleveland Browns’ rookie mini-camp on Friday. The two quarterbacks are expected to back up Joe Flacco when the season begins, with Deshaun Watson on the sidelines due to a torn Achilles.
Sanders, who dramatically dropped from an expected first-round pick to becoming the 144th-overall draft pick, took the field for his first practice in the Browns colors. However, the No 12 had stiff competition in Dillon Gabriel during the 90-minute session.
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Head coach Kevin Stefanski said both quarterbacks did well. “I think the fun part is we’ve spent so much pre-draft time with these players, particularly when we’re talking about our quarterbacks with Dillon and Shedeur,” he said.
“We’ve spent meeting time with them out of this building. We’ve taken them through walk-throughs, and then they get to go do it in uniform with the helmets on and just see what they can take from the meeting room to the grass.”
Shedeur Sanders was the last player off the field after an extra throwing session with tryout receiver Jabre Barber – a massive edge over Gabriel, at least for now. The 23-year-old son of the legendary Deion Sanders showcased his precision and arm strength with key deep ball throws, including passes to tight ends Harold Fannin Jr and John Samuel Shenker, and receiver Malcolm Johnson. He made touchdown passes to Quinshon Judkins, receiver Kisean Johnson and receiver Ja’Seem Reed.
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He and Gabriel also ran through 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 team drills. The latter made a read-through traffic and connected with WR Gage Larvadain on a pass. During red zone drills, Gabriel connected with Fannin.
But clearly, Sanders looked more prepared than his competition.
The two rookies will face a real test when they practice with seniors on Monday.
