Shedeur Sanders isn’t the only quarterback at Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp, although one could be forgiven for overlooking the diminutive Dillon Gabriel.
Drafted in the third round of last month’s NFL Draft – a full two rounds before Sanders at No. 144 – Gabriel has been dogged by insiders over his listed height, which dropped from 6-foot at Oregon to 5-foot-11 at the scouting combine.
And those questions haven’t subsided with his arrival at this week’s rookie minicamp in Berea, Ohio, where the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling was caught mocking the 24-year-old NFL rookie.
‘I’m taller than him,’ a chuckling Easterling appears to say in the viral clip from Gabriel’s exchange with reporters on Saturday.
Daily Mail has confirmed Easterling’s identity with the team and reached out to the 10-time Associated Press Media Editors award winner for his own listed height.
NFL quarterbacks typically stand taller than 6-foot-3, which helps them to see over the offensive line and identify receivers downfield.
Dillon Gabriel speaks to reporters in Berea as the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling records the press conference on his phone from over the quarterback’s left shoulder
However, many quarterbacks standing under 6-foot have enjoyed success, including 5-foot-11 Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson as well as former Heisman winner and Buffalo Bills star, 5-foot-10 Doug Flutie.
Currently at least two starters are only 5-foot-10: Arizona’s Kyler Murray and Carolina’s Bryce Young.
Gabriel is in competition with Sanders as well as veteran Joe Flacco and former Philadelphia backup Kenny Pickett for the starting job in Cleveland.
On Friday, coach Kevin Stefanski said he was impressed with both rookies in Berea.
‘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 walkthroughs 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.’
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throw passes during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Both quarterbacks started with individual work and a 7-on-7 drill before each got six plays during full-team drills.
Gabriel, who is wearing No. 5, took the first snaps in the 11-on-11 period, likely because he was the higher draft pick. Stefanski did not give a reason, though.
‘I think you’ll see the whole weekend, going through the spring, we don’t pay too close attention to who’s in there first,’ Stefanski said.
Because they drafted two quarterbacks, the Browns have tweaked their practice schedule to allow for more 7-on-7 work – skill position players going against linebackers and the secondary. Cleveland signed six wide receivers and two tight ends to tryout contracts this weekend in order to maximize snaps.
The biggest adjustment for Sanders and Gabriel will be working more under center after playing most of their careers in shotgun formations. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was instructing both quarterbacks on areas to improve.
Stefanski said both players need to work on technique as they get ready to join the quarterback room with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett next week.
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) gets sick during eleven on eleven drills during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
When it comes to the quarterback competition, Stefanski did not want to say if anyone is ahead yet.
‘There’s a lot of time between now and September, so we will have a plan. It’s an all-encompassing evaluation,’ he said. ‘It’s not something that it’s just based on the practice reps. There’s a lot that goes into it.’
Defensive tackle Mason Graham, whom the Browns took with the fifth-overall pick, said it didn’t matter to him that there was more attention on Sanders.
‘I come to play football. If the media’s on me, then they’re on me. If the media’s not, then it’s not. I’m just going to do my job at the end of the day,’ he said.
Unfortunately for Graham, the Michigan product was seen vomiting on the practice field on Saturday. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported the burly defensive ran off the field to rinse off his helmet, but managed to return.
