Dillon Gabriel NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Oregon QB

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 204

HAND: 9"

ARM: 30"

WINGSPAN: 71¾"

POSITIVES

— He has good athleticism and is an improvisational scrambler with his legs.

— Throws with reliable accuracy and ball placement, two-level passer from the pocket.

— He has played a ton of football at the collegiate level, over 2,100 snaps behind center.

— Wins with timing and rhythm from the pocket.

NEGATIVES

— Undersized QB with no elite physical traits to fall back on.

— Arm talent is average at best, questionable pushing the ball down the field.

— Older prospect will be 25-years old towards the end of his rookie season.

— Testing and defeating tight man-to-man coverage.

NOTES

— Born Dec. 28, 2000

— 3-star recruit in 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 2024: Transfers from Oklahoma to Oregon

— 2023: All-Big 12 first team (unanimous); Manning Award finalist; Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist

— His father, Garrett Gabriel, was a productive QB for Hawaii (5,638 yards and 47 touchdowns)

OVERALL

Dillon Gabriel plays the quarterback position like a point guard. He effectively distributes the ball to his weapons.

Gabriel is a timing and rhythm quarterback who thrives targeting the short and intermediate areas of the field. He is a spot thrower who can pick apart zone defenses when kept clean in the pocket. Gabriel plays with good poise and calmness inside the pocket, stepping up to avoid collapsing edge pressure. He throws a catchable ball with a combination of velocity and touch. Due to his litany of snaps/experience, the game has slowed down for him, and he can play at maximum speed. He is highly effective on RPO play calls, reading defensive leverages, and false steps on the second level. Gabriel's ball placement is a strength of his game; he protects receivers and rarely throws them into incoming defenders or high-traffic areas.

He will test the defense deep down the field. Gabriel identifies one-on-one matchups and will allow his receiver to make a play. He is an anticipatory deep passer; Gabriel throws down the field early with plenty of arc/touch to give his playmaker a chance to separate and run underneath the football. If given isolated throws to a favorable matchup, Gabriel will take it. He is a good athlete and improvisational quarterback. He will climb the pocket to reset and throw, but if flushed, Gabriel will break contain in hopes of making a play. He displays the toughness to handle designed quarterback run plays.

Gabriel is a physically limited quarterback. His arm talent/strength are average at best. When windows are tightened by the defensive coverage, the ability to drive passes decreases. Gabriel will not be a fit for a vertical passing offense in the NFL. Around ten percent of his pass attempts this season have traveled 20+ yards down the field. Gabriel is undersized without an elite trait, like speed or arm talent, to alleviate any concerns NFL front offices may have. Gabriel is an older prospect who is finishing his sixth season in college football. NFL franchises that prioritize youth in their early draft picks will have Gabriel lower on their draft boards. He will not check some important pre-draft boxes for NFL teams.

In conclusion, Dillon Gabriel is a well-experienced pocket passer with more than functional mobility. Gabriel projects as a backup quarterback at the next level. Placing him in a West Coast offense is the best plan for him and the respective team selecting him.

GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 124

POSITION RANK: QB8

PRO COMPARISON: More athletic version of Tua Tagovailoa

Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson

Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.