Gabriel was rated as the No. 163 overall player and the No. 10 quarterback in the draft by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department. The Browns clearly valued him much higher than this as the team selected him 94th overall and made him the fifth quarterback off of the board.

The Cleveland Browns did not enter the 2025 NFL draft expecting to draft two rookie quarterbacks. However, they selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round and backed up that pick with Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.

Two rounds after taking Dillon Gabriel in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns became the only team to select two quarterbacks when they chose Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round. Though technically competitive rivals, Gabriel and Sanders have developed a friendly relationship.