The Browns’ rookie minicamp had barely gotten underway when things took a turn—and not in the fairytale way Dillon Gabriel might’ve imagined. The former Oklahoma quarterback was out there trying to prove himself, get into rhythm, and silence the whispers about his draft-day slide. But just as he dropped back to deliver a crucial pass, rookie linebacker Schwesinger read the play like a seasoned vet—and snatched the ball right out of the air.
Cameras caught it. Reporters posted it. And just like that, Gabriel’s welcome-to-the-NFL moment went viral for all the wrong reasons.Now, before you hit the what went wrong? button, there’s more. The guy lit it up in college, even broke the NCAA record for total touchdowns, but the pros? Whole different beast. Even as a third-round pick, he’s got no easy ride—he’s sharing the QB room with names like Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and his fellow rookie Sanders.
Especially when body language and off-field impressions are just as scrutinized as throw velocity. The clip, shared by Cleveland reporter Camryn Justice, showed Browns LB Carson Schwesinger jumping the route and picking off Gabriel clean during drills. “#Browns LB Carson Schwesinger picks off QB Dillon Gabriel at rookie minicamp,” the caption read. No fluff, no excuses. Just cold, hard tape. And within minutes, it was circulating across Browns’ Twitter as fans dissected Gabriel’s footwork, decision-making, and poise—or lack thereof. It’s barely been a week into rookie minicamp, and Dillon Gabriel’s already getting a taste of NFL pressure.
#Browns LB Carson Schwesinger picks off QB Dillon Gabriel at rookie minicamp. pic.twitter.com/F9mGkwfFc8
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) May 10, 2025
Gabriel, a strong-armed but undersized QB, has dealt with the “too short for Sundays” narrative for years. But this time, it wasn’t a defensive end that came for him—it was a Browns beat reporter. After Gabriel’s very first press conference, a video surfaced of a reporter off-camera mouthing, “I’m taller than him,” with a smirk that did numbers online. It was one of those small moments that hit bigger when paired with an interception clip. And just like that, Gabriel’s image was no longer just “rookie underdog”—it was veering dangerously close to “camp casualty.”
Still, Gabriel’s keeping his head down, soaking up knowledge from the vets, and staying locked in on proving he belongs here. And with the viral height comment still fresh, the interception only added fuel to a narrative Gabriel hoped to avoid—one that paints him as unready, unconvincing, and maybe even unneeded. But here’s where the plot thickens. While Gabriel struggled to shake the early jitters, another rookie quarterback in Cleveland was flipping the script entirely—swagger, spotlight, and all.
While Dillon Gabriel stumbled, Sanders declares war on the league with a vow
In a separate clip that dropped just hours later, Shedeur Sanders stood in front of the media and made a statement that echoed across the league. “My story is gonna be similar,” he said, drawing a direct comparison to none other than Tom Brady. The context? Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round of the draft, a slide that shocked many but didn’t seem to shake him in the slightest. If anything, it lit a fuse.
“Powerful,” wrote NFL analyst Dov Kleiman as he posted the video, adding, “Shedeur is ready to make every team that passed on him regret their decision.” Sanders wasn’t just talking a big game—he was stepping fully into the chip-on-his-shoulder persona, embracing it like Brady did in 2000. And the Browns, watching both rookie QBs closely, had to be taking mental notes.
Even after slipping way down to the fifth round, the Browns weren’t ready to let Shedeur Sanders fall any further. They actually traded up just to snag him at No. 144. But here’s the kicker — the moment his name got called, the whole draft room went dead quiet. No cheers, no claps. Just stunned silence. Still, Shedeur didn’t flinch. He owned that moment, later throwing this bold comparison to Brady. The guy’s walking into the league with a chip on his shoulder and a mission to prove every team that passed on him dead wrong.
The contrast couldn’t be sharper. Gabriel drew picks and sideline shade, while Sanders fired off bold soundbites and lined himself up with greatness. Fans picked up on it too. Some lauded Shedeur’s mindset, while others warned he’d better back it up. Either way, he controlled the narrative. Gabriel, meanwhile, was getting memed.
And now, speculation is building—are the Browns already leaning toward Shedeur as their future project? Gabriel’s margin for error was never big, but after that rough minicamp debut, it might be paper-thin. Still, minicamp is just the start. Some QBs falter early and rise later. But in a league built on narratives, Gabriel’s clock is ticking faster than most. If he wants to rewrite it, he’ll need more than a clean stat sheet—he’ll need a spark of his own.
Can Gabriel flip the script, or will he be remembered as the rookie who stumbled before the preseason even kicked off?
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