Who Should I Start? Dillon Gabriel or Aidan O'Connell

Friday, April 25, 10:58 PM

The Cleveland Browns have selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel with the 94th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Browns have been linked to various members of the quarterback class for quite a while, and now, they finally pull the trigger in the back half of the third round. Gabriel is the fifth signal-caller off the board, joining Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, and Jalen Milroe. Interestingly, Shedeur Sanders, who was once mentioned as a candidate for Cleveland at No. 2 overall, remains available as many quarterback-needy teams opt for different players. Gabriel played six seasons of college football, with stops at UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Replacing Bo Nix with the Ducks in 2024, Gabriel completed 326 of his 447 pass attempts for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also showcased his mobility with 149 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Gabriel will likely compete with Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco while the Browns wait for Deshaun Watson (Achilles) to get healthy.

Friday, April 11, 12:07 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Geno Smith to a two-year, $75 million contract extension this offseason, but it's extremely team-friendly, and The Athletic's Vic Tafur thinks bringing in a young QB in this year's NFL draft to learn behind Smith makes sense. Tafur also thinks the Raiders might trade backup Aidan O'Connell on draft weekend. The Raiders have a clear out with Smith after 2026, as they guaranteed only $18.5 of his $26.5 million 2026 salary, and none of the $39.5 million he's due to make in 2027. Minority owner Tom Brady likes the idea of rookie QBs sitting and learning, and the Raiders will have some interesting options later in the draft in what is considered a down year for QBs. Tafur doesn't think it makes much sense to take Colorado's Shedeur Sanders at No. 6 overall, and a good number of QBs could be off the board by the team's second pick at No. 37 overall.