Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks' Dillon Gabriel, NFL Franchise Quarterback? Miami Dolphins Team Fit?

After an illustrious collegiate career that has yet to be completed, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has the potential to be drafted into the NFL. Is Gabriel a franchise quarterback? What NFL team would be a good fit?

Kyron Samuels

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel listens on stage during a press conference before the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel listens on stage during a press conference before the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
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Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has had one of the most acclaimed seasons in Oregon history. Not only has he led the Ducks to a 13-0 record and their first Big Ten conference title, but Gabriel has also been named to multiple All-American teams, named Big Ten Most Valuable Player, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Big-Ten, and broken the NCAA record for most career touchdowns. 

The 6’0, 200-pound sixth-year senior from Miliani, Hawaii, has excelled at all three collegiate stops. Gabriel was All-Conference at UCF and Oklahoma before transferring to Oregon this past offseason. As the Ducks continue to push for a national championship in the College Football Playoff, the questions about Gabriel’s NFL future are beginning. Is he a franchise quarterback? What team would be a good fit? 

“I think there’s something scarier about Oregon with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback than even with Bo Nix and all the success and all the numbers they put up a year ago. This guy is a perfect fit for what they’re looking to do. The decisiveness, how quick he is with his decisions. He’s got the quickest release of any quarterback I’ve seen all year on tape. Throwing the ball downfield with touch and timing.” said NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay.

That sounds like a perfect fit for coach Mike McDaniel and the explosive Miami Dolphins offense. They’ve extended Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but Gabriel could be the perfect backup and potential replacement in the future for a player like Tagovailoa. Hawaiian roots, size, and being lefties aside, their skill set match up very well. The Dolphins offense is about timing, anticipation, and accuracy. Gabriel fits the bill.

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“I don’t think I have to sell anything. I’m very confident in who I am. I’m the same guy when the lights are on and when you turn the lights off at night. My confidence is from being who I am….more than the tape, it’s the person I am.” said Gabriel when asked why he’s a franchise quarterback.

Gabriel has been heralded for his quick trigger and accuracy, much like Tagovailoa, but one place he would offer a different service is his mobility. Where Tagovailoa is the more gifted passer and talented thrower, Gabriel is more athletic and proven as a runner. The unique wrinkle could help open up an offense like Miami’s in the future. 

So, while Gabriel may end up going higher in the draft than most people expect, his value for a team like the Miami Dolphins or similarly structured west-coast styles will be undeniable. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

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