Shedeur Sanders vs Dillon Gabriel: Browns rookie mini-camp reveals clear winner

Shedeur Sanders vs Dillon Gabriel was the main highlight of Day 1 of the Cleveland Browns' rookie mini-camp on Friday

Updated on: May 10, 2025, 06:38:24 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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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.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders throws during the NFL football team's rookie minicamp (AP)

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.

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.

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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