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Insider reveals quarterback the Browns wanted to draft.
The Cleveland Browns picked Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, but it appears they wanted another quarterback.
Although Gabriel has become the Browns’ starter, Cleveland had their eyes set on another rookie. NFL insider Dianni Russini of The Athletic reported on Saturday that the Browns wanted to pick Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss.
“Speaking of summer, several people with the Giants told me New York knew since then that Dart was “the guy.” They just didn’t want to rush it. Before the draft, they did their homework on all the quarterbacks,” Russini wrote. “But every meeting with Ole Miss’s Dart ended the same way: with coach Brian Daboll and front-office members walking out saying, “He checks every box.”
“Believe it or not, the Giants also leaned on some unlikely help. Ole Miss assistant quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, the former Giants head coach, helped the team learn everything it needed to know about Dart,” Russini added. “The Giants also knew they weren’t alone. The Saints, Steelers and Browns had all shown interest. New York tried to play it cool, but the Giants also knew Daboll’s personality — fiery, competitive, intense and sometimes a little unhinged — was a perfect match for Dart’s energy.”
The Browns likely would have had to jump back into the first round to select Dart. But, after they traded back from second overall to fifth, Cleveland had the ammo to get back into the first round to pick Dart.
But the Browns opted not to make the move, and the Giants ended up getting back into the first round to select Dart.
Giants Coach Compares Dart to Josh Allen
Dart has taken over as the Giants’ starting quarterback, and he has looked good through three starts.
Dart has led the Giants to upset wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie quarterback has a lot of promise and Russini reports that Giants coach Brian Daboll compares him to Josh Allen.
“Around the league now, I keep hearing the same line: “Daboll finally has his guy.” Not just a quarterback who can run his offense, but a quarterback who reflects him,” Russini added. “One AFC head coach texted me, “(Daboll) thinks Dart has some Josh Allen in him. That’s what this love is all about.” There’s a looseness to the Giants’ offense again, a confidence that’s been missing. Dart’s not perfect, but you can see why the building believes in him.”
If Dart ends up being anything close to Allen, it will be disappointing news for Browns fans to know the team wanted to select him but ended up falling short.
Gabriel is Getting More Comfortable As Browns QB
Gabriel will be set for his second straight NFL start, and he feels like he’s getting more comfortable.
The Browns will be going on the road to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Although Gabriel is going up against a stingy defense, he feels comfortable and prepared for it.
“Yeah, each week you get better and more comfortable. That’s with everyone,” Gabriel said on Oct. 8. “And you want to be able to do more. You know, that’s what we’re trying to do and find solutions we have to, so that’s part of it. But we’ll continue to do that as much as possible.”
The Browns are 5.5-point road underdogs.