Shedeur Sanders-Dillon Gabriel QB battle gets stunning announcement from Browns insider

Matthew Wadleigh

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Shedeur Sanders-Dillon Gabriel QB battle gets stunning announcement from Browns insider image

The Cleveland Browns wrapped up rookie minicamp this past weekend with plenty of eyeballs around the team. 

The most notable discussion is the rookie quarterback competition between Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and that QB battle will grow once camp begins with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. 

When rookie camp began on May 9, it was Gabriel who took the first rep over Sanders, although Kevin Stefanski said not to look into that much. 

"I wouldn't look into really anything," Stefanski said on Gabriel getting the rep over Sanders. "I wouldn't look into anything. You'll see the whole weekend, going through the spring, we don't pay close attention to whose in their first." 

On Monday, the Sanders-Gabriel QB battle got some new intel from Zac Jackson of The Athletic during an episode of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.

"In just throwing the ball, it's not close. Shedeur Sanders. It's not close," Jackson said. "It's no question." 

Jackson said more about the battle and remained "impressed" with Sanders. 

"I'm impressed with the way Shedeur threw the ball, like it jumps off his hands and spins it," Jackson said later on in the clip. "This is what an NFL quarterback is supposed to look like. In the realm of it, it's Day 1, it's step one." 

That's a strong statement from Jackson, who was on the scene in Cleveland and got to see both guys in live action. 

Gabriel was selected in the third round and Sanders not until the fifth in a stunning NFL Draft slide, but now both rookies have a chance to make some noise with a huge toss-up in the Cleveland QB room. 

So far, at least from Jackson, it seems that Sanders is doing better, although it's still early. 

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Matthew Wadleigh

Matthew Wadleigh is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He was born and raised in Southern California and grew up a San Diego sports fan (yes, it’s tough, except for Aztecs hoops). Matthew went to Fresno State as a journalism major and got to see Davante Adams, Derek Carr, Paul George and Aaron Judge in person. Matthew has written for publications including ClutchPoints, Sportscasting, Fansided, Trojans Wire, UCLA Wire and Buffaloes Wire.