Dillon Gabriel impressed the hell out of everyone at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback made headlines for all the right reasons. The talk of the day was an absolute rocket of a throw from the 24-year-old.
‘Insane’ Dillon Gabriel Shines at 2025 Senior Bowl
Gabriel was in the news on Wednesday not just because of his custom helmet, which pays tribute to UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. He put on a show in Mobile, impressing scouts with his arm strength and accuracy. Gabriel’s ability to execute tight window throws and launch deep balls with ease was one of the most talked-about aspects at practice.
Senior Bowl Day 1 Update
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel has been throwing beautiful passes all day!#NFLDraft #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/HMod52tLY8
— Matt Stopsky (@MStopsky) January 28, 2025
One concern about the quarterback has been his physicality. At 5’11” and 200 pounds, Gabriel must feel at a loss compared to the rest of the draft class, but he’s not letting it affect his mindset.
“There’s some ups, there’s some downs. But you’ve got to continue to learn, so come on gameday you can go executed at a high level. But just fun to run around making some throws that you love and some things you want back,” the Oregon quarterback said.
His performance left football enthusiasts wondering why the former Ducks quarterback isn’t being hyped the way he should in a draft class dominated by Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward.
Some even compared him to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
The similarities are hard to ignore — both quarterbacks are left-handed, hail from Hawaii, and have excelled despite being undersized. Even legendary football coach Nick Saban, who once coached Tagovailoa at Alabama, once compared Gabriel to the Dolphins’ quarterback.
“I think the first thing is the guy has lots of experience. He’s got lots of poise. He’s very instinctive at reading coverages, getting the ball out of his hand quickly. And he’s very accurate. This guy is a complete player. He’s got a lot of grit. He reminds me of another Hawaiian quarterback we had – Tua,” Saban said on ESPN College GameDay.
Gabriel’s college resume is stacked. Over six seasons across UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon, he racked up 18,722 passing yards and 155 touchdowns, completing 65.2% of his throws.
His final season with the Ducks was his best yet — 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while leading Oregon to a 13-1 record and a Big Ten title. Gabriel’s ability to command an offense, combined with his experience and mobility, makes him an intriguing prospect for NFL teams in need of a quarterback.
With the 2025 NFL Draft set for April, multiple teams could take a serious look at Gabriel. The Cleveland Browns might consider him a competition for Deshaun Watson, while the Pittsburgh Steelers could see him as a long-term successor to Russell Wilson.
However, the most intriguing fit might be the Los Angeles Rams, where Gabriel could learn under Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, similar to how Kanas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes developed behind Alex Smith.
MORE: Dillon Gabriel’s NFL Draft Hub: Scouting Report, Player Profile, Projection, and More