BEREA, Ohio -- All eyes have been on Shedeur Sanders since the Cleveland Browns selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft last month, ending a shocking slide into Day 3 for the former Colorado star quarterback.
But when the Browns broke the huddle for the first snap of team drills in rookie minicamp Friday, it was third-round pick Dillon Gabriel -- not Sanders -- who took the first half-dozen snaps. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, though, downplayed it, saying the quarterback competition in Cleveland will be an "all-encompassing evaluation" over the next few months.
"I wouldn't look into, really, anything," Stefanski said after the Browns' first rookie minicamp practice. "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."
Friday marked the first NFL practice for both Gabriel and Sanders. The two alternated about three dozen passes in individual drills before throwing to pass-catches and then breaking into 11-on-11 drills, which were followed by 7-on-7s.
"They were as advertised," Stefanski said. "I thought both guys did a really nice job, and there's so much to work on. It's the minutiae of the position. It's some technique things. The operation needs to get better. All those things, that's why we're here. That's why we're going to work really hard over the next few days to get these guys ready for when they join the veterans on Monday."
After enjoying successful college careers, Gabriel, a standout at Oregon, Oklahoma and UCF, and Sanders join a crowded quarterback room that also includes veterans Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Flacco and Pickett have been participating in the team's offseason workout program. Watson, who is expected to miss the majority of the season with a right Achilles injury, continues his rehabilitation process.
When asked if a decision has been made on who will take the first-team reps in practice when OTAs begin, Stefanski said the team will "work through that" but again cautioned not to make any sweeping conclusions.
"There's plenty of reps," Stefanski said. "There's a lot of time between now and September, so we'll have a plan. But it's an all-encompassing evaluation."
