Dillon Gabriel: A Look at His College Career and Injury History

Dillon Gabriel, an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), has had a noteworthy college career marked by impressive statistics, transfers, and unfortunately, injuries. His journey through college football saw him play for three different programs: the UCF Knights (2019-2021), the Oklahoma Sooners (2022-2023), and the Oregon Ducks (2024).

Early Life and High School Career

Born on December 28, 2000, in Mililani, Hawaii, Dillon Gabriel comes from an athletic family. His mother, Dori Gabriel, played college softball for the Loyola Marymount Lions, while his father, Garrett Gabriel, was a quarterback for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors from 1987 to 1990. Growing up, Gabriel played multiple sports, including baseball, before gravitating towards football. He transitioned to the quarterback role between the ages of 10 and 12.

Gabriel attended private schools early in his education, including Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, for his seventh and eighth-grade years. Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Gabriel initially committed to the Army Black Knights. However, after receiving offers from Georgia, UCF, and USC, he decommitted and chose UCF, drawn by the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position.

UCF Knights (2019-2021)

2019 Season

Gabriel began his college career with the UCF Knights in 2019 as a true freshman. He competed for the starting quarterback position during preseason camp against Brandon Wimbush and Quadry Jones to replace McKenzie Milton, who was recovering from a severe leg injury. Gabriel made his debut on August 29, 2019, against Florida A&M, where he completed 9 of 13 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns. He was subsequently named the starting quarterback, leading UCF to a 10-3 overall record. In the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl, UCF defeated Marshall 48-25, and Gabriel was named MVP.

2020 and 2021 Seasons

During his sophomore season, Gabriel led UCF to a 6-4 record. In his junior season in 2021, UCF started with a 2-0 record before Gabriel sustained a season-ending injury in the third game against Louisville on September 17, 2021.

The Injury Against Louisville

In a game against Louisville, with five seconds remaining and UCF trailing 42-35, the team attempted a multi-lateral touchdown. Gabriel was injured on the play after landing on his left shoulder, his throwing arm. He was carted off the field with his left arm in a sling. X-rays revealed a fractured left clavicle.

Following the injury, Gabriel announced that he would not need surgery, but there was no timetable for his return. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2021 season.

Legacy at UCF

Despite the abrupt end to his UCF career, Gabriel left a significant mark on the program. He ranks high in several statistical categories in UCF history, including:

No. 5 All-Time in Career Passing Yards
4th highest passing yards in a single season
Most passing yards in a single game in UCF history
No. 5 all time in career passing touchdowns
2nd most touchdowns in a single season
3rd most touchdowns in a single game

In just over two seasons, Gabriel compiled a 17-8 overall record as a starter and an 11-5 conference record. While he didn't lead UCF to a conference title or NY6 Bowl, his individual performances and statistics place him among the top quarterbacks in UCF history.

Oklahoma Sooners (2022-2023)

After transferring from UCF, Gabriel joined the Oklahoma Sooners. He started for two years before transferring again to Oregon.

Read also: Collegiate Career: Corey Dillon

Oregon Ducks (2024)

Gabriel committed to transfer to Oregon on December 9, 2023, for his final year of collegiate eligibility, made possible by the NCAA's decision to grant an additional season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024 Season

Gabriel made his debut for Oregon in the season opener against Idaho on August 31, 2024. Oregon won the game 24-14, with Gabriel throwing for 380 yards and two touchdowns. With this performance, he became the eighth quarterback in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to surpass 15,000 career passing yards.

On October 26, Gabriel threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon's 38-9 victory over Illinois. With this performance, he surpassed Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang to move into second place on the FBS career passing yards list and also passed Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore to claim second place on the FBS career passing touchdowns list.

Gabriel played his final college football game in the 2025 Rose Bowl, a College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal, on January 1, 2025. Despite Oregon entering the playoffs with an undefeated 13-0 record, the team lost to Ohio State 41-21. At the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, Gabriel was nominated for the Heisman Trophy.

Professional Career

Gabriel was selected 94th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. On August 26, 2025, the Browns announced that Gabriel would serve as the backup quarterback to Joe Flacco. Gabriel made his NFL debut on September 14, during Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, completing all three of his pass attempts for 19 yards and recording his first career touchdown. On October 1, 2025, Gabriel was announced as the starting quarterback for the Browns ahead of Week 5. He made his first career start on October 5, in a game against the Minnesota Vikings held in London, England.

Read also: Dillon Gabriel's Career

Concussion

On November 16, 2025, Gabriel sustained a concussion during the Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens. He experienced concussion symptoms during halftime and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

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